title: On pineal calcification and its relation to subjective sleep perception: a hypothesis-driven pilot study.
abstract: We classified the degree of pineal calcification (DOC) into seven groups using cranial Computer Tomography (cCT) and then correlated pineal DOC to chronic subjective sleep-related disturbances as measured by a sleep questionnaire in 36 patients. Analysed by logistic regression models, age and sex were not, but higher pineal DOC was significantly associated with the presence of daytime tiredness (OR = 4.15, 95% CI: 1.63, 10.54) and sleep disturbance (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.74). This study provides initial confirmation of the hypothesis that the increasing degree of pineal calcification (DOC) might indicate a decrease of melatonin production, which consecutively might lead to a disturbed circadian rhythmicity in the sleep-wake cycle, with the principal symptom being daytime tiredness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Interdisciplinary Sleep Clinic, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. dkunz@zedat.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kunz
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bes
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schlattmann
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Herrmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000473:pathology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed