[Morphofunctional and molecular bases of pineal gland aging].

Fiziologiia cheloveka2012PMID: 22567846

Plain Language Summary

This review examined the molecular and structural changes in the pineal gland during aging. While the gland doesn't show severe physical deterioration, its functional activity declines with age, reducing melatonin levels. Long-term studies showed that Epitalon and the pineal extract Epithalamin can restore melatonin secretion and support the body's neuroimmune and antioxidant systems.

Abstract

The review analyzed morphology, molecular and functional aspects of pineal gland aging and methods of it correction. The pineal gland is central organ, which regulates activity of neuroimmunoendocrine, antioxidant and other organisms systems. Functional activity of pineal gland is discreased at aging, which is the reason of melatonin level changing. The molecular and morphology research demonstrated, that pineal gland hadn't strongly pronounced atrophy at aging. Long-term experience showed, that peptides extract of pineal gland epithalamin and synthetic tetrapeptide on it base epithalon restored melatonin secretion in pineal gland and had strong regulatory activity at neuroimmunoendocrine and antioxidant organism systems.

Authors

Khavinson, V Kh; Lin'kova, N S