Development of the pineal gland: how to open your “Third Eye”

The pineal gland is a small gland located in the region of the third ventricle of the brain. It is a neuro-endocrine gland, whose level of activity largely depends on the time of day. The activity of the gland increases with the onset of darkness, obeying a stable daily rhythm. The maximum volumes of pineal gland hormones are produced after midnight, which makes the pineal gland a kind of “guardian of dreams.” With dawn, activity decreases.

However, the established rhythm of hormone reproduction is seriously disrupted by artificial lighting at night. This can lead to all sorts of disruptions in the functioning of the body and to the occurrence of many pathologies - obesity, dangerous diseases of the heart muscle and others.

Functions of the pineal gland

For many years, British medical scientists have made attempts to understand what the pineal gland of the brain is responsible for. But even today, the potential and role of this gland have not been fully studied.

Affecting all processes of the body, the pineal gland is involved in stabilizing metabolic functions and the functioning of the central nervous system.

At the very core of the human brain there is a gland - the pituitary gland, which affects growth, metabolic functions of the body, and development. If the pituitary gland works at full strength, a person’s skeleton is more actively formed and secondary sexual characteristics (menstruation, erection, active development of the genital organs, etc.) are progressively developed. To balance the processes, the pineal gland inhibits the growth of the pituitary gland until the onset of puberty.

In addition, the pineal body takes part in the organization of stable biological rhythms that determine sleep or wakefulness, rest or a strong “burst of strength” - physical or emotional uplift. Performs the following functions:

• The pineal gland maintains circadian rhythms and sleep patterns in the right way.
• Slows down sexual development in adolescents.
• Suppresses the release of excess growth hormone until puberty.
• Inhibits the growth of tumors.
• Increases immunity.

Particular activity of the pineal gland is observed in children. As you grow older, the mass of the gland decreases and its functionality weakens.

Major diseases you may encounter

Disturbance in the activity of the pineal gland leads to hormonal imbalance of the whole organism, the reasons being a number of factors of an endogenous and exogenous nature:

• Skull injuries;
• Heavy metal poisoning (mercury, lead);
• Alcohol intoxication;
• Infectious pathogens (poliomyelitis, encephalitis, rabies);
• Infection with parasites causing cystic formation in the epiphysis of the brain;
• Tumor formations (malignant or benign);
• Spasm of cerebral vessels;
• Atherosclerotic plaques;
• Blood clots.

Cysts of the pineal gland of the brain arise in one of the lobes of the pineal gland, or on the surface of the organ and are classified as benign neoplasms.

The disease is often asymptomatic and causes discomfort as it progresses - the growth of a cystic formation compresses nearby vessels, impairing cerebral circulation.

Increasing symptoms:

1. Headaches (irregular, without specific localization);
2. Changes in vision (blurry, double vision);
3. Pain when rotating the eyeballs (with a large cyst size);
4. Loss of coordination;
5. Memory impairment;
6. Decreased concentration;
7. Drowsiness.

With echinococcal lesions of the pineal gland, the following are observed: an increase in depression, epileptic seizures, pain in the chest, decreased intellectual abilities up to dementia.

The formation of a pinealoma (tumor) in the epiphysis of the brain of a malignant nature leads to a rapid enlargement of the pineal gland. There is a sharp loss of body weight, or vice versa – an increase. The patient experiences severe headaches and fatigue, and coordination of movements is impaired.

Features in children

Hypofunction (Pelizia syndrome) of the pineal gland in children is expressed in premature puberty. The cause is a failure in the production of melanin, which leads to the formation of: cysts, sarcomas, teratomas.

The child becomes lethargic and intellectual development stops. Complaints of migraine and nausea are possible.

Hyperfunction of the pineal gland (Marburg-Milku syndrome) develops when there is an excess of hormone production or a tumor process. There is a delay in puberty and underdevelopment of the genital organs in adolescents. Complaints of sleep disturbances, outbursts of aggression, or vice versa – apathy and depression are possible.

What does the pineal gland produce?

Functioning as a gland, the pineal gland supplies hormones to the human body:

1. Melatonin. It is the most important and indispensable regulator of the circadian rhythm and, produced at the beginning of twilight, helps to fall asleep. Entering directly into the blood, the hormone notifies all cells of the body about the onset of night. Almost all tissues and organs contain receptors that are sensitive to melatonin, but they work depending on many factors present in a particular person. That is why the effect of the hormone on the body may vary.

What is melatonin responsible for?

This:

• Full healthy sleep.
• Calm nervous system and stress resistance.
• Stabilization of blood pressure.
• Decreased blood glucose levels.
• Reducing cholesterol levels.
• Strengthening the body's protective properties.
• Ensuring sufficient potassium in the body.

Among other things, being involved in the formation of the state of sleep, this hormone enhances the effect of sedatives, and in some cases, it is used in preparations as a medicine for minor disturbances in night sleep.

Among representatives of the younger generation, the functionality of melatonin has the highest indicators: the hormone increases the ability to learn and improves the body's protective functions, strengthens vascular walls.

If there is too bright lighting in the evening and at night, a person begins to experience sleep disorders and diseases of the nervous system, depression, and depression. To avoid such complications or at least reduce their occurrence, preference should be given to natural changes in lighting.

• Serotonin (“happiness hormone”) is produced in daylight. Improves a person’s psychological and emotional state, facilitates motor activity and has other functions. It accumulates in the gland, and at night is converted into the most important hormone of the pineal gland - melatonin.
• Histamine. Supports vital functions of the body.
• Norepinephrine. It affects the metabolic functions of the body and regulates blood pressure.
• Peptide hormones. Stimulate the functioning of the sex glands, normalize reproductive functions in women and regulate the duration of the menstrual cycle. They also affect the immune system, metabolic functions of the body and the condition of blood vessels.

Hyperfunction and hypofunction of the pineal gland

If for some reason the pineal gland malfunctions, a person begins to experience serious disorders in the functionality of the entire body.

Pelizzi syndrome begins to develop, which most often occurs in boys and young men aged 5-20 years. The syndrome is characterized by the following signs: accelerated growth of the skeleton and muscles, changes in voice, mental disorders, and strong attraction to the opposite sex.

The most pronounced signs of pathology include the early development and formation of the genital organs and secondary signs - testes, as in adult men; pubic hair in boys; menstruation and even the possibility of early pregnancy in girls.

Where is the pineal gland located? Location of the gland

The superior cerebral appendage is located at the bottom of the third cerebral ventricle. In the oblong depression between the upper colliculi of the quadrigeminal, where the epiphysis is located, leads come from the pineal gland that attach it to the visual tuberosities.

Thus, one side of the epiphysis is located in the region of the midbrain, and the other is adjacent to the third ventricle. In simple terms, the pineal gland is a type of gland located between the hemispheres of the brain. The volume of the gland in an adult is from 25 to 430 mg, while the mass of the pineal gland depends on many factors: the person’s age, his state of health, gender, environmental conditions and climate (the average is 0.2 grams).

Development and structure of the pineal gland

It is known that the formation and development of the pineal gland begins in the second month of the human embryonic period. First, in the upper part of the brain, immediately behind the plexus of blood vessels, a slight bulge of the muscle wall appears - a diverticulum. The process then proceeds as follows:

• Over time, the walls thicken, and from the resulting membrane the anterior lobe develops, and only then the posterior lobe.
• Then, vessels appear and develop between the formed lobes, which contributes to the fusion of the lobes into one whole.
• Dimensions of the formed gland: length – less than 12 mm; width – less than 8 mm; thickness – less than 4 mm.
• Only by the age of 10 are the size and weight of the pineal gland finally formed.
• In middle-aged people, the pineal gland has the shape of a small oval.

The pineal gland in older people closely resembles a pine cone and is red or brown in color. It is covered with tubercles - deposits of “brain sand”. The gland is connected to the branches of the cerebral arteries, from where it receives intensive blood supply. Moreover, the highest functionality of blood vessels is at night.

The pineal gland is covered with a dense vascular membrane (capsule) with detachable vertical layers that divide the gland into lobules, penetrating its tissue.

Melatonin, the most important hormone produced by the pineal gland

Melatonin, synthesized by the pineal gland, acts as a “signpost” to our biological clock. The cycle in which it is secreted by the pineal gland affects sleep at night. Its proper release is very important for health. However, with today's lifestyle, this rhythm is very easy to disrupt.

So-called “night breaks” or night shifts lead to a decrease in the release of this hormone from the pineal gland. Not only does this lead to later problems falling asleep, but it can also increase your risk of diabetes, prostate and breast cancer.

As we age, the activity of the pineal gland decreases, which can lead to problems falling asleep in older people. Therefore, for insomnia, medications containing melatonin are recommended. However, it should be remembered that medications with melatonin should be used only after prior consultation with an endocrinologist.

The role of the pineal gland in the body

Despite numerous studies, the significance of the pineal gland is still not 100% understood.

Recent studies of the pineal gland have shown that the gland is controlled by the light regime: in the morning activity decreases to a minimum, and by night it intensifies. Once on the retina of the eye, “light information” is transmitted directly to the pineal gland.

Possessing a colossal spectrum of biological activity, the pineal gland plays an important role in the human body, participating in the following processes:

• Regulation of seasonal and circadian rhythms, which last from 20 to 28 hours and are synchronous with the rotation of the Earth, the change of day and night.
• Adaptability to climate change.
• Reproductive qualities.
• Slowing down aging (antioxidant effects).
• Prevention of cancer.

Based on the above, one can understand due to what features the pineal gland is classified as the biological clock of the body and assigns it a key role in the fight to prolong youth and maintain human health.

In modern conditions of scientific development, most scientists consider the pineal gland as a valuable gland of the endocrine system, responsible for proper sleep, stress resistance and other equally important areas.

In humans, the pineal gland is directly responsible for disruptions in the body’s circadian rhythm, which occur with sudden changes in time zones (for example, during air travel), with decreased production of the hormone melatonin, with diabetes, mental disorders, insomnia, stress and cancer pathologies.

In addition, there is an opinion that it is the pineal gland that is the “third eye”, which allows you to see what is “hidden from external organs of vision.” This, of course, is in the realm of fantasy and popular speculation, and is in no way confirmed by academic science. One way or another, this gland performs very important functions in the human body, which have yet to be fully explored in the future.

Other pathologies of the pineal gland

In medical practice, other diseases of the pineal gland are occasionally encountered that can harm the normal functioning of the patient:

1. Cystic transformation. The peculiarity of the disease is the appearance of single or multiple cysts. They usually arise due to blockage of the gland duct. Therefore, the main biological substance produced by the organ collects and turns into cysts. Sometimes such formations can cause hemorrhages in the pineal gland.
2. Inflammatory processes. Rarely occur in the pineal gland on their own. As a rule, they are preceded by an inflammatory process in other parts of the brain. Main causes: syphilis, meningitis, tuberculosis, brain abscess. Against the background of general symptoms, manifestations of damage to the pineal gland are not noticed.
3. Impaired blood supply. It occurs due to high blood pressure (BP), injury, blockage of blood vessels with blood clots, etc. Symptoms in this case are as follows: headache, nausea, dizziness, tinnitus, migraines, sleep disturbances, etc.
4. Atrophy and deformation of the pineal gland. Since the gland itself in this case is greatly reduced in size, its functionality also deteriorates sharply. In children and adolescents, physiology changes, and the rate of sexual development accelerates. Having noticed such changes in the brain, doctors often simultaneously diagnose cirrhosis of the liver, leukemia, diabetes mellitus, and severe infectious diseases. In addition, the cause of deformation processes in the pineal gland can be poisoning from certain plants.
5. Parasitic lesions. A parasite that can penetrate the pineal gland and remain in it for years is echinococcus. For a long time, this helminth may not make itself known in any way, but all hormonal indicators are normal. Less commonly, it causes increased fatigue or persistent headache. On an MRI or tomography, doctors may suspect a neoplasm in the form of a tumor or cyst.
6. Disturbance of circadian rhythms. This situation is accompanied by prolonged falling asleep, nighttime insomnia or frequent awakenings. It occurs due to not constant, but cyclic production of melanin. This situation is associated with long periods of time spent at the computer, the use of certain medications, or frequent stress.

We can conclude that diseases of the pineal gland are difficult to diagnose and pose a huge danger to human life. Taking this into account, it is absolutely impossible to delay a visit to the doctor at the slightest suspicion of pathological changes in the brain.