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The Secrets of the Pineal Gland_Facts

As advances in health care progress, more importance is being given to the glands of the endocrine system and the necessity of their proper functioning. Much is still to be researched and understood about the body’s endocrine system, particularly the glands located in the the brain. The endocrine system consists of a series of glands that secrete particular hormones into the bloodstream. These hormones send messages to the cells of the body, which in turn help to regulate a variety of functions including metabolism, growth and development, tissue function and mood. From its unique perch between the brain’s two hemispheres, the endocrine system’s pineal gland secretes melatonin, a derivative of serotonin, which generally contributes to feelings of well-being and happiness. The tiny, pine cone – shaped gland is joined by the habenular trigone and the posterior commissure to make up the epithalamus, which serves to connect the limbic system to other parts of the brain. The limbic system influences both the endocrine system and the autonomic nervous system and seems to have involvement (which is not entirely well understood) with emotion, behavior, motivation, long-term memory and olfaction (our sense of smell). Just in this brief description, we get a glimpse of the inextricable relationships among our organs, systems and their functions. Released by the pineal gland’s pinealocyte cells, melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals that damage neurons (or any cells, for that matter). The amount of melatonin found in spinal fluid is much higher than the amount in our bloodstream, and it controls our circadian rhythm — our sleep and wake cycle. The pineal gland creates more of the antioxidant at night, in the absence of light, which helps to dictate our sleeping patterns. Studies on the pineal gland and melatonin have contributed to chronobiology, the branch of science which explores rhythms in living organisms. We all know people who strongly identify with being a “morning person” or “night owl,” and chronobiology has ways of assessing these chronotypes. In the dark months of winter, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) seems to be the result of low melatonin levels. Interestingly, aside from our eyes, the pineal gland is the only other organ in our body that detects light.