Getting all theFacts THE PINEAL GLAND

Illu pituitary pineal glands.jpg Diagram of pituitary and pineal glands in the human brain Latin glandula pinealis Gray's subject #276 1277 Artery posterior cerebral artery Precursor Neural Ectoderm, Roof of Diencephalon MeSH Pineal+gland The pineal gland (also called the pineal body, epiphysis cerebri, epiphysis, conarium or the "third eye") is a small endocrine gland in the vertebrate brain. It produces the serotonin derivative melatonin, a hormone that affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions.[1][2] Its shape resembles a tiny pine cone (hence its name), and it is located near the centre of the brain, between the two hemispheres, tucked in a groove where the two rounded thalamic bodies join. Nearly all vertebrate species possess a pineal gland. The most important exception is the hagfish, which is often thought of as the most primitive type of vertebrate.[3] Even in the hagfish, though, there may be a "pineal equivalent" structure in the dorsal diencephalon.[4] The lancelet amphioxus, the nearest existing relative to vertebrates, also lacks a recognizable pineal gland.[3] The lamprey, however (considered almost as primitive as the hagfish), does possess one.[3] A few "higher" types of vertebrates, including the alligator, lack pineal glands because they have been lost over the course of evolution.[5] Contents

1 Location Get More Information  About the Third Eye Click this link 

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Contents

• 1 Location
• 2 Structure and composition
• 3 Pineal gland depositions
• 4 Miscellaneous anatomy
• 5 Function
  • 5.1 Conjecture
• 6 Pathology
  • 6.1 Pinelomas
• 7 Mysticism, metaphysics and philosophy
• 8 Additional images
• 9 References
• 10 External links
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