Objective To explore the functional state of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis of the cold dry syndrome model mice to explore the common biological basis of the diseases of high incidence in Xinjiang. Methods An artificial cold dry environment of Xinjiang was created in a climatic chamber and the mice were exposed for 21 days. The mice were killed by eyeball blood release. The hypothalamus

pituitary

and adrenal were removed and the histomorphological and cell ultrastructural changes were observed under the optical and electron microscopes respectively. The content of corticotropin-releasing hormone （CRH）

adrenocorticotropic hormone （ACTH）

cortisone （CORT）

and Beta-endorphin （β-EP） in the peripheral blood was determined. Results Compared with the normal control group

in the model group there existed the histomorphological and cell ultrastructural changes in the tissues of hypothalamus

pituitary

and adrenal

and the content of ACTH in the serum was increased （P<0.01）

while the content of CRH

CORT and β-EP was not significantly different （P>0.05）. Conclusion The structural and functional disorders exist in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis of the cold dry syndrome model mice

which is the physiopathological state possibly caused by the cold dry environment

being one of the microcosmic mechanisms of some diseases of high incidence in Xinjiang.