| abstract |
A method for testing the inducibility of the hypothalamus to effect the secretion of andrenocorticotropic hormone comprising the steps of: n (a) administering to a test subject a pharmaceutically effective amount of a derivative of human IL-1β selected from the group consisting of human IL-1β [7-153], human IL-1β [1-148], human IL-1β [Gly 4 ], human IL-1β [Leu 93 ] and human IL-1β [des Arg 98]; and n (b) measuring an increase in blood levels of at least one of adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol and corticotropin-releasing hormone, n wherein the degree of increase in said blood levels of at least one of adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol and corticotropin-releasing hormone, corresponds to the degree of inducibility of the hypothalamus and is not substantially due to the induction of fever. |