Effects of blinding, pinealectomy and superior cervical ganglionectomy on free thyroxine index of male golden hamsters.
Blinding young male golden hamsters led to a depression of the plasma free thyroxine index after an 8 week period. Removal of either the pineal gland or the superior cervical ganglia of blind hamsters reversed the effects of blinding on free thyroxine index. No significant effects were observed 2 weeks after treatment. Previously reported effects of blinking, and removal of the pineal gland or the superior cervical ganglia on testicular weight were confirmed. A similar mechanism of pineal inhibition of thyroid function and gonadal function is suggested.
D000818:Animals; D001766:Blindness / Q000097:blood*; D006224:Cricetinae; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood*; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013974:Thyroxine