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Role of Pineal Gland in Relieving Environmental Stress

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Environmental Stress and Amelioration in Livestock Production

Abstract

Pineal gland is considered as a neuroendocrine transducer of cyclic photic input, which is responsible for the seasonal changes in the reproductive capability of various animal species. Considerable evidence has now been accumulated to indicate its participation in a wide range of reproductive processes and associated organs, among which pineal-adrenal, pineal-thyroid, and pineal-immune system relationships are the thrust areas of research investigations. Pineal gland is known to have an anti-stressogenic effect in mammals and birds. It is also known to have a tranquilizing effect on animals. Melatonin is included in the feed of pigs raised in commercial piggeries to protect them against occurrence of peptic ulcers. Although the antistress properties of melatonin are established, yet such reports are very meager in domestic livestock species. Several studies conducted on goats suggest that there is a strong interrelationship between the pineal gland and adrenal cortex in relieving thermal stress. The significant effect of melatonin on various adrenal cortex secretions and functions during thermal stress establishes such relationship between the two endocrine glands. These studies established the anti-stress properties of melatonin in goats. Several recent studies conducted in goats had established that apart from melatonin, there are several other peptides produced from the pineal gland, which have anti-thermal stress properties. The data generated from these studies help us to understand the functional relationship between pineal and adrenal glands, and how these influence each other for the well-being of the domestic and farm animals during thermal stress. Given the importance of thermal stress in hampering animal productivity to a greater extent in tropical countries, these findings have greater significance in terms of improving the economy of farm households as well as poor farmers.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are highly thankful to the Senior Research Fellows Miss Saumya Bahadur, Miss Rajni Chhetri, Miss. Indu Shekhawat, Mr. Anoop Kumar, and Mr. Kamal Kumar for their valuable help in preparing this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Adaptation Physiology Laboratory Division of Physiology and Biochemistry, Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Via-Jaipur, Rajasthan, 304501, India

    Veerasamy Sejian & Saumya Bahadur

  2. Environmental Physiology and Toxicology Laboratory, DIHAR, Defense Research and Development Organization, Leh Ladakh, 901205, India

    Vijay Kumar Bharti

  3. Division of Physiology and Climatology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, 243122, India

    Rajendra Swaroop Srivastava

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  1. Veerasamy Sejian
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  2. Saumya Bahadur
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Correspondence to Veerasamy Sejian .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Division of Physiology and Biochemistry, Central Sheep and Wool Research Institut, Avikanagar, Via-Jaipur, 304501, Rajasthan, India

    Veerasamy Sejian

  2. , Division of Physiology and Biochemistry, Central Sheep and Wool Research Institut, Avikanagar, Via-Jaipur, 304501, India

    S.M.K. Naqvi

  3. and OARDC, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Wooster, 44691, Ohio, USA

    Thaddeus Ezeji

  4. , Department of Veterinary Clinical Scienc, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 43210, Ohio, USA

    Jeffrey Lakritz

  5. , Carbon Management and Sequestration Cent, The Ohio State University, Columbus, 43210, Ohio, USA

    Rattan Lal

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Sejian, V., Bahadur, S., Bharti, V.K., Srivastava, R.S. (2012). Role of Pineal Gland in Relieving Environmental Stress. In: Sejian, V., Naqvi, S., Ezeji, T., Lakritz, J., Lal, R. (eds) Environmental Stress and Amelioration in Livestock Production. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29205-7_9

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