Pineal Gland

Abstract

Until recently very little was known about the effect of the pineal gland on mammary development and activity. Kitay and Altschule (1954), in their review of the literature on the physiology of the pineal gland, quote three references to the “galactogenic” action of pineal extracts, which in fact are reports of milk ejection occurring after the administration of these extracts. It is now known that they may contain arginine-vasotocin (Pavel and Petrescu, 1966). The question of a possible pineal endocrine effect on milk secretion was considered by Thieblot (1954), who concluded that, while no direct evidence of any effect on milk secretion was available, there was, however, proof that the pineal can inhibit the pituitary and its luteotropic activity, and that further studies on the pineal in relation to milk secretion were called for.