Thepinealgland, which produces the body’s melatonin, is located deep within the brain.
What Is the Pineal Gland?
It is responsible for the body’s circadian rhythms.
Like all parts of the endocrine system, the pineal gland makes hormones.
What Is the Structure of the Pineal Gland?
The pineal gland is often described as shaped like a pine cone.
It is small, about 5-9mm long and 1-5mm wide, and reddish-grey.
What Is the Function of the Pineal Gland?
Melatonin helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which is the cycle of sleepiness and wakefulness in a 24-hour period.
The pineal gland alters the production of melatonin based on the amount of light perceived by the eyes.
Melatonin produced by the pineal gland impacts other areas of health.
However, researchers still do not understand its full impact.
Melatonin is a very effective antioxidant.
These chemicals are generated in active neural tissues.
For example, the pineal gland may exacerbate insomnia in delayed sleep phase syndrome.
It also may have a role in seasonal affective disorder, sometimes known aswinter depression.
In addition, when the pineal gland is affected by tumors, the effects may lead to brain surgery.
Characterized by irregular bedtimes and awakenings, the affected person will experienceinsomniaand improperly timed sleepiness.
Thecircadian sleep disordersinclude:
How can sleep timing be disordered?
Ultimately, this may depend on personal perspective, which is largely influenced by social context.
One must be careful to avoid labeling normal variations of physiologic patterns as a disease.
Pineal Gland Tumors
Cancer may rarely affect the pineal gland.
There are only a handful of tumors that may affect the pineal gland within the brain.
There are only three types of true pineal cell tumors.
Fortunately, these cancers rarely metastasize elsewhere in the body.
If this significantly impacts sleep or health, a different medication may need to be used.
Given its size, some imaging techniques may provide limited data about the structure.
Tracking of the circadian rhythm may be done longitudinally with sleep logs or actigraphy.
Wearable technology, including common fitness trackers, may provide some of this biometric data.
If someone’s irregular sleep patterns are not negatively affecting their life, medical help is not typically necessary.
Treatment can include light box therapy, melatonin supplements, and lifestyle changes.
If a pineal gland tumor is identified, treatment typically includes radiation.
If pineoblastoma is present, the entire brain and spinal cord must receive radiation therapy.
If the tumor has spread or if it regrows after radiation treatment, chemotherapy may be indicated.
In some cases, surgery may determine the tumor throw in by removing part of the tumor.
Some conditions that can arise from pineal gland dysfunction are seasonal affective disorder and circadian rhythm disorders.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Melatonin: what it’s crucial that you know.
American Brain Tumor Association.Pineal tumors.
2018;23(2):301.
Published 2018 Jan 31. doi:10.3390/molecules23020301
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
National Institutes of Health.Circadian rhythm disorders - treatment.
2018;23(2):301. doi:10.3390/molecules23020301
