The Pituitary And Pineal Glands

An informative article on: The Pituitary And Pineal Glands.

Along with the hypothalamus, both the pituitary and the pineal glands are located in the brain. The pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain, in close proximity to the hypothalamus while the pineal gland lies between the two hemispheres. They serve quite distinct functions as the pituitary gland is responsible for secreting many hormones while the pineal gland is responsible for only one important hormone.

The Pituitary Gland

Sometimes referred to as the master gland of the endocrine system, the pituitary gland literally controls functions of all the other glands in the system. It is small, roughly the size of a pea, but its functions are huge. The pituitary gland is at the base of the brain, attached to the hypothalamus that signals it to activate as needed. It consists of three distinct sections, the anterior lobe, the intermediate lobe and the posterior lobe. Both the production of hormones, as well as the secretion of hormones in the pituitary gland, can be caused by factors such as seasonal changes and emotions.

Important Hormones of the Pituitary Gland

The main hormones produced and secreted by the pituitary gland are prolactin, growth hormone (GH), adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), antidiuretic hormone (ADH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Although it is common knowledge that GH is responsible for stimulating cell reproduction, the other hormones are not as well known to the layperson. ACTH is released in response to stress while the luteinizing hormone stimulates ovulation in females and the production of testosterone in males. FSH is responsible for regulates the development, growth, pubertal maturation, and regulating the development, growth and reproductive processes in the human body as well as maturation during puberty.

The Pineal Gland

The pineal gland is also a small gland located in the brain between the two hemispheres. It produces melatonin which controls circadian rhythms and seasonal changes. For literally thousands of years, the pineal gland was referred to as the ‘third eye’ and held a place of prominence in many eastern metaphysical belief systems. It has even been spoken of as ‘the seat of the soul’ by a 17th century French philosopher, Rene Descartes.

Important Hormone of Pineal Gland

There is only one major hormone released by the pineal gland and that is melatonin. This hormone controls the circadian rhythm which in turn regulates sleep patterns by differentiating between day and night. It is thought to be correlated in some way to the body’s response to light and darkness. The amount of melatonin secreted also appears to be directly related to certain forms of cancer, breast cancer in particular, and also is implicated as a cause of Seasonal Affective Disorder, SAD.

While there is a certain degree of understanding regarding the pituitary gland and its functions, little is known about the internal mechanisms of the pineal gland. It does appear to secrete only one important hormone, but it is also an integral part of the endocrine glands located in the brain. Often, when there is a disorder in just one, all three are affected.