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Medicine and Pharmacy Reports Jul 2019The pineal gland is a photo-neuro-endocrine organ situated inside the brain, that secretes serotonin, melatonin and N,N-dymethyltriptamine. This narrative review will... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
The pineal gland is a photo-neuro-endocrine organ situated inside the brain, that secretes serotonin, melatonin and N,N-dymethyltriptamine. This narrative review will address the latest information gathered on this function of the gland as well as the unknown roles it may have. The different histological and pathological findings of the pineal gland have demonstrated a role in clinical manifestations of numerous endocrine, neurological and psychiatric pathologies.
MATERIALS
For this narrative review we used the NCBI website database PubMed. The search terms were "Pineal Gland" AND/OR "histology, melatonin, DMT, pathology". Total number of articles included were 86.
RESULTS
We have reviewed physiological information of melatonin and DMT, anatomical, histological and histopathological information on the pineal gland and its role in endocrine, neurological and psychiatric pathology.
CONCLUSION
The role of melatonin in immunity and its potential therapeutic effects show promising potential for further research. DMT seems to have a role in psychiatric pathology and potential therapeutic effects. Proper tumoral screening and diagnostic protocol are required.
PubMed: 31460502
DOI: 10.15386/mpr-1235 -
Journal of Research in Medical Sciences... 2017Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the main causative factors in a wide variety of complications such as neurodegenerative disorders, ischemia/reperfusion, aging... (Review)
Review
Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the main causative factors in a wide variety of complications such as neurodegenerative disorders, ischemia/reperfusion, aging process, and septic shock. Decrease in respiratory complex activity, increase in free radical production, increase in mitochondrial synthase activity, increase in nitric oxide production, and impair in electron transport system and/or mitochondrial permeability are considered as the main factors responsible for mitochondrial dysfunction. Melatonin, the pineal gland hormone, is selectively taken up by mitochondria and acts as a powerful antioxidant, regulating the mitochondrial bioenergetic function. Melatonin increases the permeability of membranes and is the stimulator of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and catalase. It also acts as an inhibitor of lipoxygenase. Melatonin can cause resistance to oxidation damage by fixing the microsomal membranes. Melatonin has been shown to retard aging and inhibit neurodegenerative disorders, ischemia/reperfusion, septic shock, diabetes, cancer, and other complications related to oxidative stress. The purpose of the current study, other than introducing melatonin, was to present the recent findings on clinical effects in diseases related to mitochondrial dysfunction including diabetes, cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, and diseases related to brain function.
PubMed: 28400824
DOI: 10.4103/1735-1995.199092 -
Journal of Pediatric Intensive Care Dec 2016Melatonin, while best known for its chronobiologic functions, has multiple effects that may be relevant in critical illness. It has been used for circadian rhythm... (Review)
Review
Melatonin, while best known for its chronobiologic functions, has multiple effects that may be relevant in critical illness. It has been used for circadian rhythm maintenance, analgesia, and sedation, and has antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and antiexcitatory effects. This review examines melatonin physiology in health, the current state of knowledge regarding endogenous melatonin production in pediatric critical illness, and the potential uses of exogenous melatonin in this population, including relevant information from basic sciences and other fields of medicine. Pineal melatonin production and secretion appears to be altered in critical illness, though understanding in pediatric critical illness is in early stages, with only 102 children reported in the current literature. Exogenous melatonin may be used for circadian rhythm disturbances and, within the critically ill population, holds promise for diseases involving oxidant stress. There are no studies of exogenous melatonin administration to critically ill children beyond the neonatal period.
PubMed: 31110902
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1583283 -
Systematic Reviews Mar 2023Pineal gland calcification is the formation of corpora arenacea predominantly composed of calcium and phosphorus. It plays an important role in regulating the light/dark... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Pineal gland calcification is the formation of corpora arenacea predominantly composed of calcium and phosphorus. It plays an important role in regulating the light/dark circadian changes to synchronize their daily physiological activities like feeding, metabolism, reproduction, and sleep through the secretion of melatonin. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of pineal gland calcification.
METHODS
A systematic review was done using published research articles from different electronic databases. Cross-sectional studies were included for systematic review and only studies conducted on the human population were included for quantitative analysis. Published articles were selected by assessing the title and abstract for relevance to the review objectives. Finally, the full text was retrieved for further assessment.
RESULTS
The pooled prevalence of pineal gland calcification was 61.65% [95% CI: 52.81, 70.49], with a heterogeneity of I = 97.7%, P ≤ 0.001. According to the qualitative analysis, an increase in age, male sex, and white ethnicity are the major socio-demographic characteristics that increase the prevalence of pineal gland calcification.
CONCLUSION
The pooled prevalence of pineal gland calcification was higher compared with reports from previous studies. Different studies reported pineal gland calcification was most prevalent in the adult population compared with the pediatric age groups. According to the qualitative analysis, an increase in age, male sex, and white ethnicity are the major socio-demographic characteristics that increase the prevalence of pineal gland calcification.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Child; Male; Cross-Sectional Studies; Pineal Gland; Prevalence; Calcium; Databases, Factual
PubMed: 36879256
DOI: 10.1186/s13643-023-02205-5 -
Journal of Anatomy Apr 2018The circumventricular organs (CVOs) are specialised neuroepithelial structures found in the midline of the brain, grouped around the third and fourth ventricles. They... (Review)
Review
The circumventricular organs (CVOs) are specialised neuroepithelial structures found in the midline of the brain, grouped around the third and fourth ventricles. They mediate the communication between the brain and the periphery by performing sensory and secretory roles, facilitated by increased vascularisation and the absence of a blood-brain barrier. Surprisingly little is known about the origins of the CVOs (both developmental and evolutionary), but their functional and organisational similarities raise the question of the extent of their relationship. Here, I review our current knowledge of the embryonic development of the seven major CVOs (area postrema, median eminence, neurohypophysis, organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, pineal organ, subcommissural organ, subfornical organ) in embryos of different vertebrate species. Although there are conspicuous similarities between subsets of CVOs, no unifying feature characteristic of their development has been identified. Cross-species comparisons suggest that CVOs also display a high degree of evolutionary flexibility. Thus, the term 'CVO' is merely a functional definition, and features shared by multiple CVOs may be the result of homoplasy rather than ontogenetic or phylogenetic relationships.
Topics: Animals; Area Postrema; Blood-Brain Barrier; Circumventricular Organs; Humans; Hypothalamus; Phylogeny; Pineal Gland; Pituitary Gland, Posterior; Subcommissural Organ; Subfornical Organ
PubMed: 29280147
DOI: 10.1111/joa.12771 -
Cell Transplantation 2016Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a hormone derived from the pineal gland that has a wide range of clinical applications. While melatonin was originally... (Review)
Review
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a hormone derived from the pineal gland that has a wide range of clinical applications. While melatonin was originally assessed as a hormone specializing in regulation of the normal circadian rhythm in mammals, it now has been shown to be an effective free radical scavenger and antioxidant. Current research has focused on central nervous system (CNS) disorders, stroke in particular, for potential melatonin-based therapeutics. As of now, the realm of potential therapy regimens is focused on three main treatments: exogenously delivered melatonin, pineal gland grafting, and melatonin-mediated stem cell therapy. All therapies contain both costs and benefits, and current research is still focused on finding the best treatment plan. While comprehensive research has been conducted, more research regarding the safety of such therapies is needed in order to transition into the clinical level of testing. Antioxidants such as traditional Chinese medicine, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), and lavender oil, which have been used for thousands of years as treatment, are now gaining recognition as effective melatonin treatment alternatives. This review will further discuss relevant studies assessing melatonin-based therapeutics and provide evidence of other natural melatonin treatment alternatives for the treatment of stroke.
Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Catechin; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; Humans; Melatonin; Neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents; Pineal Gland; Receptors, Melatonin; Stem Cell Transplantation; Stem Cells; Stroke
PubMed: 26497887
DOI: 10.3727/096368915X689749 -
Polish Journal of Radiology 2021Abnormalities in melatonin physiology and circadian rhythm are detected in patients with autism. Melatonin is produced predominantly in the pineal gland and the amount...
PURPOSE
Abnormalities in melatonin physiology and circadian rhythm are detected in patients with autism. Melatonin is produced predominantly in the pineal gland and the amount of melatonin released is proportional to the pineal gland volume. This study aimed to examine whether the pineal gland volume in children with autism is different from that in healthy children.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Brain magnetic resonance images (MRI) of 120 paediatric patients with autism and 82 control paediatric subjects were examined; pineal parenchymal volume (PPV), pineal cyst rate (PCR), and total pineal gland volume (TPGV) were measured using a multimodality viewer (MMV), but only the TPGVs were measured using a tumour tracking (TT) method. Measurements were taken by 2 separate radiologists.
RESULTS
In patients with autism, the PPV and TPGV according to MMV, and the TPGV according to TT were significantly lower, and the PCR was significantly higher. Moreover, the ratio of PPV to TPGV was significantly lower in the autism patient group. In both groups, the TPGVs were significantly lower in the autism patient group than the controls among all age groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study was the first to examine TPGVs in detail in paediatric patients with autism using 2 different methods. Low PPV-TPGV and high PCR have been observed in autism. This study also provides comparable reference values for pineal gland size in healthy children or autistic children aged 2-17 years. These results show promising potential for further research to understand the relationship between autism pathogenesis and the pineal gland.
PubMed: 34093919
DOI: 10.5114/pjr.2021.105689 -
International Journal of Molecular... Nov 2021Melatonin is a highly conserved molecule found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes that acts as the darkness hormone, translating environmental lighting to the whole body, and... (Review)
Review
Melatonin is a highly conserved molecule found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes that acts as the darkness hormone, translating environmental lighting to the whole body, and as a moderator of innate and acquired defense, migration, and cell proliferation processes. This review evaluates the importance of pineal activity in monitoring PAMPs and DAMPs and in mounting an inflammatory response or innate immune response. Activation of the immune-pineal axis, which coordinates the pro-and anti-inflammatory phases of an innate immune response, is described. PAMPs and DAMPs promote the immediate suppression of melatonin production by the pineal gland, which allows leukocyte migration. Monocyte-derived macrophages, important phagocytes of microbes, and cellular debris produce melatonin locally and thereby initiate the anti-inflammatory phase of the acute inflammatory response. The role of locally produced melatonin in organs that directly contact the external environment, such as the skin and the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, is also discussed. In this context, as resident macrophages are self-renewing cells, we explore evidence indicating that, besides avoiding overreaction of the immune system, extra-pineal melatonin has a fundamental role in the homeostasis of organs and tissues.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Inflammation; Macrophages; Melatonin; Pineal Gland
PubMed: 34830026
DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212143 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2021The use of nanosized particles has emerged to facilitate selective applications in medicine. Drug-delivery systems represent novel opportunities to provide stricter,... (Review)
Review
The use of nanosized particles has emerged to facilitate selective applications in medicine. Drug-delivery systems represent novel opportunities to provide stricter, focused, and fine-tuned therapy, enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of chemical agents at the molecular level while reducing their toxic effects. Melatonin (-acetyl-5-methoxytriptamine) is a small indoleamine secreted essentially by the pineal gland during darkness, but also produced by most cells in a non-circadian manner from which it is not released into the blood. Although the therapeutic promise of melatonin is indisputable, aspects regarding optimal dosage, biotransformation and metabolism, route and time of administration, and targeted therapy remain to be examined for proper treatment results. Recently, prolonged release of melatonin has shown greater efficacy and safety when combined with a nanostructured formulation. This review summarizes the role of melatonin incorporated into different nanocarriers (e.g., lipid-based vesicles, polymeric vesicles, non-ionic surfactant-based vesicles, charge carriers in graphene, electro spun nanofibers, silica-based carriers, metallic and non-metallic nanocomposites) as drug delivery system platforms or multilevel determinations in various in vivo and in vitro experimental conditions. Melatonin incorporated into nanosized materials exhibits superior effectiveness in multiple diseases and pathological processes than does free melatonin; thus, such information has functional significance for clinical intervention.
Topics: Animals; Circadian Rhythm; Drug Carriers; Drug Delivery Systems; Humans; Melatonin; Nanoparticles; Nanostructures; Pineal Gland
PubMed: 34200947
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26123562 -
International Journal of Molecular... Nov 2020For years the thymus gland (TG) and the pineal gland (PG) have been subject of increasingly in-depth studies, but only recently a link that can associate the activities... (Review)
Review
For years the thymus gland (TG) and the pineal gland (PG) have been subject of increasingly in-depth studies, but only recently a link that can associate the activities of the two organs has been identified. Considering, on the one hand, the well-known immune activity of thymus and, on the other, the increasingly emerging immunological roles of circadian oscillators and the rhythmically secreted main pineal product, melatonin, many studies aimed to analyse the possible existence of an interaction between these two systems. Moreover, data confirmed that the immune system is functionally associated with the nervous and endocrine systems determining an integrated dynamic network. In addition, recent researches showed a similar, characteristic involution process both in TG and PG. Since the second half of the 20th century, evidence led to the definition of an effectively interacting thymus-pineal axis (TG-PG axis), but much has to be done. In this sense, the aim of this review is to summarize what is actually known about this topic, focusing on the impact of the TG-PG axis on human life and ageing. We would like to give more emphasis to the implications of this dynamical interaction in a possible therapeutic strategy for human health. Moreover, we focused on all the products of TG and PG in order to collect what is known about the role of peptides other than melatonin. The results available today are often unclear and not linear. These peptides have not been well studied and defined over the years. In this review we hope to awake the interest of the scientific community in them and in their future pharmacological applications.
Topics: Aging; Animals; Circadian Rhythm; Humans; Melatonin; Peptides; Pineal Gland; Thymus Gland
PubMed: 33233845
DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228806