Growth-hormone-releasing factor (GHF or GHRF), also known as growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) or somatocrinin, is a 44-amino acid peptide hormone produced in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus.  GHRF is released from neurosecretory nerve terminals of these arcuate neurons, and is carried by the hypothalamo-hypophysial portal circulation to the anterior pituitary gland where it stimulates growth hormone (GH) secretion. GHRF is released in a pulsatile manner, stimulating similar pulsatile release of GH. In addition, GHRH also promotes slow-wave sleep directly. The actions of GHRF are opposed by another hypothalamic hormone, somatostatin, also known as "growth-hormone-inhibiting hormone" (GHIH).

Somatostatin is released from neurosecretory nerve terminals of periventricular somatostatin neurons, and is carried by the hypothalamo-hypophysial portal circulation to the anterior pituitary where it inhibits GH secretion by hyperpolarising the somatotropes.  Somatostatin and GHRF are secreted in alternation, giving rise to the markedly pulsatile secretion of GH. However recently it had been discovered that somatostatin does not affect the secretion of GH.