945-2 Thalamic Infarct. Neuroimaging Figure 1. Right medial thalamic infarct.
Pineal Gland Ripple Ireland. Where is it located? Between two hemispheres of brain Tucked into...
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Transcript of Pineal Gland Ripple Ireland. Where is it located? Between two hemispheres of brain Tucked into...
Pineal GlandRipple
Ireland
Where is it located? Between two hemispheres of brain Tucked into groove where two rounded thalamic bodies join Dorsal aspects of brain’s diencephalon region Part of both nervous system and endocrine system
What hormones does it produce? Melatonin
derived from tryptophan, regulates circadian rhythm (sleep cycle) and body temperature
What effect does the hormone have? Regulation of sleep patterns and seasonal functions (i.e.
hibernation) Influences sexual development, hibernation, and seasonal
breeding Helps protect body from cell damage caused by free radicals Jet lag
Why is this hormone important to homeostasis? Homeostatic sleep schedule thermoregulation
Feedback Mechanisms and Antagonistic Hormones Source of circadian rhythms (sleep patterns) lies in
suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCNs) Day: SCN decreases melatonin production Night: SCN increases melatonin production
What releases/inhibits melatonin production? Inhibited when retina detects light Stimulated when in darkness
What happens if the gland does not function properly?
Too much Drowsiness/insomnia Reduced core body temperature
Not enough/not at all Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) – depression in winter More inflammation Weakened immune system Increased risk of cancer
What can be done? Supplements are available Doses of melatonin can be used to treat depression,
insomnia, and jet lag.
Sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineal_gland http://www.crystalinks.com/thirdeyepineal.html