American Journal of Internal Medicine

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Age- and Sex- Related Changes in Pineal Gland: A Morphological and Histological Study

Received: 22 May 2015    Accepted: 22 May 2015    Published: 23 October 2015
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Abstract

Introduction: Pineal gland is believed to be an endocrine gland, melatonin being the principal hormone secreted by it. Updating any knowledge about the anatomy of pineal gland will expand our understanding of pineal physiology and pathophysiology and of the possible medical use of pineal compounds. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observatory study in pineal gland specimens collected from human subjects during autopsy after obtaining written informed consent from relatives. Subjects died of malignancy or head injury were excluded from the study. Morphological and histological analysis was done after preservation. Results: There were 90 adult specimens and 12 fetal specimens. Mean (SD) age, length of specimen, width, thickness (centimeters) and weight (grams) of specimen were 41.37  23.3, 0.79  0.17, 0.59  0.13, 0.35  0.10 and 0.08  0.04 respectively. The average number of pinealocytes and glial cells per field were 184.6 ± 29.41 and 7.20 ± 2.65 respectively. Incomplete lobules were seen in 52 adult specimens and complete in 38. Calcification was observed in 69 specimens. Changes of pattern of lobule from incomplete to complete and increase in calcification were found to be significantly correlated with advancing age. Conclusion: Increasing calcification and change in lobular pattern are observed as advancing age related changes in present study. Estimation of melatonin and data regarding factors affecting these changes may be done further to identify its pathophysiological significance.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajim.s.2015030601.13
Published in American Journal of Internal Medicine (Volume 3, Issue 6-1, November 2015)

This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicology

Page(s) 10-13
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Pinealocyte, lobulation of pineal gland, calcification of pineal gland

References
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[3] Barbara Young, James S Lowe, Alan Stevens, John V Heath. Chapter 17-Endocrine system. Wheater’s Functional Histology: A text and colour atlas. 5th ed. Elsevier, 2006: 344.
[4] Kim E Barrett, Susan M Barman, Scott Boitano, Heddwen L Brooks. Chapter 15-Electrical activity of Brain sleep wake states and circadian rhythm. Section 3. Ganong’s review of Medical Physiology. 23rd ed. Tata McGraw Hill, 2010: 238, 239.
[5] Chummy S Sinnatamby. Chapter 7-Central nervous system-Part one, Forebrain. Last’s anatomy Regional and applied: 11th ed. Churchill Livingstone, 2006: 48.
[6] Lopez Munoz F, Molina J D, Rubio G, Alamo C. An historical view of the pineal gland and mental disorders. J Clin Neurosci. 2011; Aug; 18 (8): 1028 – 1037.
[7] Bertram G. Katzung, Susan B. Masters, Anthony J. Trevor. Chapter 64-Dietary supplements & Herbal medications. Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. 11th ed. Tata McGraw Hill, 2009: 1123-1124.
[8] Koshy S & Vettivel. Melanin Pigments in Human Pineal Gland. J Anat. Soc. India, 2001; 50(2): 122-126.
[9] Dezna C Sheehan, Barbara B Hrapchak. Chapter 2 – Fixation. Chapter 12 – Pigments and minerals. Chapter 14, Nerve tissue. Chapter 15- Special cells and tissues. Theory and Practice of Histotechnology. 2nd ed. Mosby Company, 1980: 43, 47, 220 – 222, 227,260, 277.
[10] C F A Culling, R T Allison, W T Barr. Chapter 4- Processing. Chapter 5 – Microtomy. Chapter 7 – Staining procedure. Chapter 8 – Haematoxylins and counterstains. Cellular pathology Technique. 4th ed. Butterworths & Co. (Publishers) Ltd, 1985: 55 – 63, 91 – 95, 135 – 139, 146, 151, 155 – 160.
[11] John D Bancroft, Alan Stevens. Chapter 3- Tissue processing. Chapter 13 – Pigments and minerals. Chapter 16 – Bone. Theory and Practice of Histological Techniques. 3rd ed. Churchill Livingstone, 1990: 45 – 52, 253 – 255, 333.
[12] R.A.B. Drury, E.A. Wallington. Chapter 11- Bone and decalcification. Chapter 14- Pigments. Chapter 19- The nervous System. Carleton’s Histological Technique. 5th ed. Oxford University Press, 1980: 217, 269 – 271, 373.
[13] Eugenia R. A. Cooper. The human pineal gland and pineal cysts. J Anat (Lond). 67: 28-46.
[14] Svetlana Antic, Ivan Jovanovic, Natalija Stefanovic, Snezana Pavlovic, Gorana Rancic, Sladana Ugrenovic. Morphology and histochemical characteristics human pineal gland acervuli during the aging. Facta Universitatis Series. Medicine and Biology. 2004; Vol.11, No 2: 63 – 68.
[15] Gusek. W. Histology of the pineal gland in the elderly human. Adv Gerontol. 1983; May, 13(3): 111-114.
[16] Wu YH, Swaab D F. The human pineal gland and melatonin in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. J Pineal Res. 2005; Apr, 38(3): 145- 152.
[17] Savel’ev S V, Erofeev E A, Fokin E I, Gulimoa V I, De Clerq N, PostNov A A. Human epiphyseal concrements in schizophrenia. Arkh Patol. 2004; Jul-Aug, 66 (4): 13-16.
[18] Yunqian Li, Gang Zhao, Honglei Wang, Wanan Zhu, Limei Qu, Ye Li, Jinlu Yu. Use of 3D-computed tomography angiography for planning the surgical removal of pineal region meningiomas using Poppen’s approach. World Journal of Surgical Oncology. 2011; 9: 64.
Author Information
  • Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College, Thrissur, India

  • Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College, Thrissur, India

  • Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College, Thrissur, India

  • Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College, Thrissur, India

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    K G Arunkumar, A Amar Jayanthi, C K Indira, V K Girijamony. (2015). Age- and Sex- Related Changes in Pineal Gland: A Morphological and Histological Study. American Journal of Internal Medicine, 3(6-1), 10-13. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.s.2015030601.13

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    K G Arunkumar; A Amar Jayanthi; C K Indira; V K Girijamony. Age- and Sex- Related Changes in Pineal Gland: A Morphological and Histological Study. Am. J. Intern. Med. 2015, 3(6-1), 10-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ajim.s.2015030601.13

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    AMA Style

    K G Arunkumar, A Amar Jayanthi, C K Indira, V K Girijamony. Age- and Sex- Related Changes in Pineal Gland: A Morphological and Histological Study. Am J Intern Med. 2015;3(6-1):10-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ajim.s.2015030601.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajim.s.2015030601.13,
      author = {K G Arunkumar and A Amar Jayanthi and C K Indira and V K Girijamony},
      title = {Age- and Sex- Related Changes in Pineal Gland: A Morphological and Histological Study},
      journal = {American Journal of Internal Medicine},
      volume = {3},
      number = {6-1},
      pages = {10-13},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajim.s.2015030601.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.s.2015030601.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajim.s.2015030601.13},
      abstract = {Introduction: Pineal gland is believed to be an endocrine gland, melatonin being the principal hormone secreted by it. Updating any knowledge about the anatomy of pineal gland will expand our understanding of pineal physiology and pathophysiology and of the possible medical use of pineal compounds. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observatory study in pineal gland specimens collected from human subjects during autopsy after obtaining written informed consent from relatives. Subjects died of malignancy or head injury were excluded from the study. Morphological and histological analysis was done after preservation. Results: There were 90 adult specimens and 12 fetal specimens. Mean (SD) age, length of specimen, width, thickness (centimeters) and weight (grams) of specimen were 41.37  23.3, 0.79  0.17, 0.59  0.13, 0.35  0.10 and 0.08  0.04 respectively. The average number of pinealocytes and glial cells per field were 184.6 ± 29.41 and 7.20 ± 2.65 respectively. Incomplete lobules were seen in 52 adult specimens and complete in 38. Calcification was observed in 69 specimens. Changes of pattern of lobule from incomplete to complete and increase in calcification were found to be significantly correlated with advancing age. Conclusion: Increasing calcification and change in lobular pattern are observed as advancing age related changes in present study. Estimation of melatonin and data regarding factors affecting these changes may be done further to identify its pathophysiological significance.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Age- and Sex- Related Changes in Pineal Gland: A Morphological and Histological Study
    AU  - K G Arunkumar
    AU  - A Amar Jayanthi
    AU  - C K Indira
    AU  - V K Girijamony
    Y1  - 2015/10/23
    PY  - 2015
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.s.2015030601.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajim.s.2015030601.13
    T2  - American Journal of Internal Medicine
    JF  - American Journal of Internal Medicine
    JO  - American Journal of Internal Medicine
    SP  - 10
    EP  - 13
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-4324
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajim.s.2015030601.13
    AB  - Introduction: Pineal gland is believed to be an endocrine gland, melatonin being the principal hormone secreted by it. Updating any knowledge about the anatomy of pineal gland will expand our understanding of pineal physiology and pathophysiology and of the possible medical use of pineal compounds. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional observatory study in pineal gland specimens collected from human subjects during autopsy after obtaining written informed consent from relatives. Subjects died of malignancy or head injury were excluded from the study. Morphological and histological analysis was done after preservation. Results: There were 90 adult specimens and 12 fetal specimens. Mean (SD) age, length of specimen, width, thickness (centimeters) and weight (grams) of specimen were 41.37  23.3, 0.79  0.17, 0.59  0.13, 0.35  0.10 and 0.08  0.04 respectively. The average number of pinealocytes and glial cells per field were 184.6 ± 29.41 and 7.20 ± 2.65 respectively. Incomplete lobules were seen in 52 adult specimens and complete in 38. Calcification was observed in 69 specimens. Changes of pattern of lobule from incomplete to complete and increase in calcification were found to be significantly correlated with advancing age. Conclusion: Increasing calcification and change in lobular pattern are observed as advancing age related changes in present study. Estimation of melatonin and data regarding factors affecting these changes may be done further to identify its pathophysiological significance.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 6-1
    ER  - 

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