title: [Neuroendocrine and psychopharmacologic aspects of the pineal function. Melatonin and psychiatric disorders].
abstract: The development of psychiatric thought has always been in close association with the pineal gland. The importance of a relationship between pineal, and mental functions was stressed by Descartes when he placed the seat of rational thought as well as the confluence of body and soul in this organ (Cf. Descartes, L'Homme, 1664). His writings exerted such a strong influence that, quite soon indeed, physicians started regarding this gland as being the source of many mental disorders. In an attempt to find and explain a possible link between mental abnormalities, and the discovery of calcified pineals in necroptic studies, many theories were put forward during the 18th, and the 19th century. Afterwards, the importance of the gland went almost unnoticed until 1920, when Becker treated psychotic patients with pineal extracts. An up-to-1950 review by Kitay and Altschule (1954) reported 17 cases where pineal extracts were successfully injected to psychotic patients. In the present review, the author tries and summarizes several reports dealing with the influence of the pineal function on affective disorders, schizophrenia, sleep cycle, Parkinson disease, etc., as a contribution to future research work in this field.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Privado de Asistencia Psicopatológica IPAS, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Morguenstern
mesh_terms: D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000097:blood; D001519:Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin
vernacular_title: Aspectos neuroendócrinos y psicofarmacológicos de la función pineal. Melatonina y desórdenes psiquiátricos.