What does pineal gland mean?

Definitions for pineal gland
pineal gland

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word pineal gland.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. pineal gland, pineal body, epiphysis cerebri, epiphysisnoun

    a small endocrine gland in the brain; situated beneath the back part of the corpus callosum; secretes melatonin

Wiktionary

  1. pineal glandnoun

    A small, pinecone-shaped endocrine gland found near the centre of the brain that produces melatonin.

Wikipedia

  1. Pineal gland

    The pineal gland, conarium, or epiphysis cerebri, is a small endocrine gland in the brain of most vertebrates. The pineal gland produces melatonin, a serotonin-derived hormone which modulates sleep patterns in both circadian and seasonal cycles. The shape of the gland resembles a pine cone, which gives it its name. The pineal gland is located in the epithalamus, near the center of the brain, between the two hemispheres, tucked in a groove where the two halves of the thalamus join. The pineal gland is one of the neuroendocrine secretory circumventricular organs in which capillaries are mostly permeable to solutes in the blood.Nearly all vertebrate species possess a pineal gland. The most important exception is a primitive vertebrate, the hagfish. Even in the hagfish, however, there may be a "pineal equivalent" structure in the dorsal diencephalon. The lancelet Branchiostoma lanceolatum, an early chordate which is a close relative to vertebrates, also lacks a recognizable pineal gland. The lamprey (another primitive vertebrate), however, does possess one. A few more complex vertebrates have lost pineal glands over the course of their evolution.The results of various scientific research in evolutionary biology, comparative neuroanatomy and neurophysiology have explained the evolutionary history (phylogeny) of the pineal gland in different vertebrate species. From the point of view of biological evolution, the pineal gland is a kind of atrophied photoreceptor. In the epithalamus of some species of amphibians and reptiles, it is linked to a light-sensing organ, known as the parietal eye, which is also called the pineal eye or third eye.René Descartes believed the human pineal gland to be the "principal seat of the soul". Academic philosophy among his contemporaries considered the pineal gland as a neuroanatomical structure without special metaphysical qualities; science studied it as one endocrine gland among many.

ChatGPT

  1. pineal gland

    The pineal gland is a small, pea-sized endocrine gland in the brain of most vertebrates. It produces and regulates some hormones, including melatonin which influences the sleep-wake cycle. The gland has been linked to a variety of functions including regulation of circadian rhythms, mood, and immune system. It is located near the center of the brain between the two hemispheres.

Wikidata

  1. Pineal gland

    The pineal gland 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. Its shape resembles a tiny pine cone, 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. Even in the hagfish, though, there may be a "pineal equivalent" structure in the dorsal diencephalon. The lancelet amphioxus, the nearest existing relative to vertebrates, also lacks a recognizable pineal gland. The lamprey, however, does possess one. A few "higher" types of vertebrates, including the alligator, lack pineal glands because they have been lost over the course of evolution.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

  1. Pineal Gland

    a small cone-shaped body of yellowish matter in the brain, the size of a pea, and situated in the front of the cerebellum, notable as considered by Descartes to be the seat of the soul, but is now surmised to be a rudimentary remnant of some organ, of vision it would seem, now extinct.

U.S. National Library of Medicine

  1. Pineal Gland

    A light-sensitive neuroendocrine organ attached to the roof of the THIRD VENTRICLE of the brain. The pineal gland secretes MELATONIN, other biogenic amines, and neuropeptides.

Editors Contribution

  1. pineal gland

    A type of gland with various functions.

    The pineal gland within the body of a human being is important as it produces melatonin and modulates patterns of behavior.


    Submitted by MaryC on September 6, 2020  

Matched Categories

How to pronounce pineal gland?

How to say pineal gland in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of pineal gland in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of pineal gland in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5


Translations for pineal gland

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for pineal gland »

Translation

Find a translation for the pineal gland definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"pineal gland." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 23 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/pineal+gland>.

Discuss these pineal gland definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for pineal gland? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Image or illustration of

    pineal gland

    Credit »

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Browse Definitions.net

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    To cause to become
    A summon
    B render
    C abash
    D emanate

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for pineal gland: