To evaluate the utility of autoradiographic technique in the detection of TRH receptor changes in brain after the various kinds of stimulation or drug administration, we tried the characterization of TRH receptor in mouse brain and autoradiography in rat brain as a preliminary study. The Kd value of [3-H] MeTRH to TRH receptors of adult male ICR mouse brain (cebellum and spinal cord were excluded) was 3.55+0.6 nM and Bmax was 3.44+0.52 fmol/mg wet tissue by saturation analysis. The Kd value of TRH to TRH receptors was 133.8+28.2 nM by competition analysis. And we could visualize the distribution of TRH receptors in rat brain by autoradiographic technique.