Pineal gland
Diagram of pituitary and pineal glands in the human brain
Latin	glandula pinealis
Gray's	subject #276 1277
Artery	superior cerebellar artery
Precursor	Neural Ectoderm, Roof of Diencephalon
MeSH	Pineal+gland

The pineal gland (also called the pineal body, epiphysis cerebri, epiphysis, conarium or the "third eye") is a small endocrine gland in the vertebrate brain. It produces the serotonin derivative melatonin, a hormone that affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and seasonal functions.^[1][2] Its shape resembles a tiny pine cone (hence its name), and it is located near the centre of the brain, between the two hemispheres, tucked in a groove where the two rounded thalamic bodies join.

Location[link]

The pineal gland is reddish-gray and about the size of a grain of rice (5–8 mm) in humans, located just rostro-dorsal to the superior colliculus and behind and beneath the stria medullaris, between the laterally positioned thalamic bodies. It is part of the epithalamus.

The pineal gland is a midline structure shaped like a pine cone,^[3] and is often seen in plain skull X-rays, as it is often calcified.

Structure and composition[link]

Pineal gland parenchyma with calcifications.

Micrograph of a normal pineal gland – very high magnification.

Micrograph of a normal pineal gland – intermediate magnification.

The pineal body consists in humans of a lobular parenchyma of pinealocytes surrounded by connective tissue spaces. The gland's surface is covered by a pial capsule.

The pineal gland consists mainly of pinealocytes, but four other cell types have been identified. As it is quite cellular (in relation to the cortex and white matter) it may be mistaken for a neoplasm.^[4]

The pineal gland receives a sympathetic innervation from the superior cervical ganglion. However, a parasympathetic innervation from the sphenopalatine and otic ganglia is also present. Further, some nerve fibers penetrate into the pineal gland via the pineal stalk (central innervation). Finally, neurons in the trigeminal ganglion innervate the gland with nerve fibers containing the neuropeptide, PACAP. Human follicles contain a variable quantity of gritty material, called corpora arenacea (or "acervuli," or "brain sand"). Chemical analysis shows that they are composed of calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, magnesium phosphate, and ammonium phosphate.^[5] In 2002, deposits of the calcite form of calcium carbonate were described.^[6] Calcium, phosphorus^[7] deposits in the pineal gland have been linked with aging.

Miscellaneous anatomy[link]

Pinealocytes in many non-mammalian vertebrates have a strong resemblance to the photoreceptor cells of the eye. Some evolutionary biologists believe that the vertebrate pineal cells share a common evolutionary ancestor with retinal cells.^[8]

In some vertebrates, exposure to light can set off a chain reaction of enzymatic events within the pineal gland that regulate circadian rhythms.^[9] Some early vertebrate fossil skulls have a pineal foramen (opening). This correlates with the physiology of the modern "living fossils," the lamprey and the tuatara, and some other vertebrates that have a parietal organ or "third eye," which, in some of them, is photosensitive. The third eye represents evolution's earlier approach to photoreception.^[10] The structures of the third eye in the tuatara are homologous to the cornea, lens and retina, though the latter resembles that of an octopus rather than a vertebrate retina. The asymmetrical whole consists of the "eye" to the left and the pineal sac to the right. "In animals that have lost the parietal eye, including mammals, the pineal sac is retained and condensed into the form of the pineal gland."^[10]

Unlike much of the rest of the mammalian brain, the pineal gland is not isolated from the body by the blood–brain barrier system;^[11] it has profuse blood flow, second only to the kidney.

Fossils seldom preserve soft anatomy. The brain of the Russian Melovatka bird, about 90 million years old, is an exception, and it shows a larger-than-expected parietal eye and pineal gland.^[12]

In humans and other mammals, the light signals necessary to set circadian rhythms are sent from the eye through the retinohypothalamic system to the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) and the pineal.

Function[link]

The pineal gland was originally believed to be a "vestigial remnant" of a larger organ. In 1917 it was known that extract of cow pineals lightened frog skin. Dermatology professor Aaron B. Lerner and colleagues at Yale University, hoping that a substance from the pineal might be useful in treating skin diseases, isolated and named the hormone melatonin in 1958.^[13] The substance did not prove to be helpful as intended, but its discovery helped solve several mysteries such as why removing the rat's pineal accelerated ovary growth, why keeping rats in constant light decreased the weight of their pineals, and why pinealectomy and constant light affect ovary growth to an equal extent; this knowledge gave a boost to the then new field of chronobiology.^[14]

Melatonin is N-acetyl-5-methoxy-tryptamine, a derivative of the amino acid tryptophan, which also has other functions in the central nervous system. The production of melatonin by the pineal gland is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light.^[15] Photosensitive cells in the retina detect light and directly signal the SCN, entraining its rhythm to the 24-hour cycle in nature. Fibers project from the SCN to the paraventricular nuclei (PVN), which relay the circadian signals to the spinal cord and out via the sympathetic system to superior cervical ganglia (SCG), and from there into the pineal gland.

The compound pinoline is also produced in the pineal gland; it is one of the beta-carbolines.^{[citation needed]}

The human pineal gland grows in size until about 1–2 years of age, remaining stable thereafter,^[16][17] although its weight increases gradually from puberty onwards.^[18][19] The abundant melatonin levels in children are believed to inhibit sexual development, and pineal tumors have been linked with precocious puberty. When puberty arrives, melatonin production is reduced. Calcification of the pineal gland is typical in adults.

Apparently the internal secretions of the pineal gland inhibit the development of the reproductive glands, because in cases where it is severely damaged in children, the result is accelerated development of the sexual organs and the skeleton.^[20] In animals, the pineal gland appears to play a major role in sexual development, hibernation, metabolism, and seasonal breeding.^[21]

Pineal cytostructure seems to have evolutionary similarities to the retinal cells of chordates.^[8] Modern birds and reptiles have been found to express the phototransducing pigment melanopsin in the pineal gland. Avian pineal glands are believed to act like the SCN in mammals.^[22]

Studies on rodents suggest that the pineal gland may influence the actions of recreational drugs, such as cocaine,^[23] and antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac),^[24] and its hormone melatonin can protect against neurodegeneration.^[25]

Conjecture[link]

Dr. Rick Strassman, while conducting research on the psychedelic dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in the 1990s at the University of New Mexico, advanced the controversial hypothesis that a massive release of DMT from the pineal gland prior to death or near death was the cause of the near death experience (NDE) phenomenon. Several of his test subjects reported NDE-like audio or visual hallucinations. His explanation for this was the possible lack of panic involved in the clinical setting and possible dosage differences between those administered and those encountered in actual NDE cases. Several subjects also reported contact with 'other beings', alien like, insectoid or reptilian in nature, in highly advanced technological environments^[26] where the subjects were 'carried,' 'probed,' 'tested,' 'manipulated,' 'dismembered,' 'taught,' 'loved,' and even 'raped' by these 'beings' (one could note the strong similarities of these bodily tests/invasions in other psychedelic experiences throughout time, outlined in Graham Hancock's "Supernatural"^[27]). Basing his reasoning on his belief that all the enzymatic material needed to produce DMT is found in the pineal gland (see evidence in mammals), and moreover in substantially greater concentrations than in any other part of the body, Strassman (^[26] p. 69) has speculated that DMT is made in the pineal gland.

Pathology[link]

All tumors involving the pineal gland are rare; most (50% to 70%) arise from sequestered embryonic germ cells. They most commonly take the form of so-called germinomas, resembling testicular seminoma or ovarian dysegerminoma. Other lines of germ cell differentiation include embryonal carcinomas; choriocarcinomas; mixtures of germinom, embryonal carcinoma, and choriocarcinoma; and, uncommonly, typical teratomas (usually benign). Whether to characterize these germ cell neoplasms as pinealomas is still a subject of debate, but most pinealophiles favor restricting the terms pinealoma to neoplasms arising from the pineocytes.

A pineal tumor can compress the superior colliculi and pretectal area of the dorsal midbrain, producing Parinaud's syndrome. Pineal tumors also can cause compression of the cerebral aqueduct, resulting in a noncommunicating hydrocephalus.

Pinelomas[link]

These neoplasms are divided into two categories, pineoblastomas and pineocytomas,^{[citation needed]} based on their level of differentiation, which in turn, correlates with their neoplastic aggressiveness. The clinical course of patients with pineocytomas is prolonged, averaging 7 years.^{[citation needed]} The manifestations are the consequence of their pressure effects and consist of visual disturbances, headache, mental deterioration, and sometimes dementia-like behaviour.^{[citation needed]} The lesions being located where they are, it is understandable that successful excision is at best difficult.

Metaphysics and philosophy[link]

The secretory activity of the pineal gland is only partially understood. Historically, its location deep in the brain suggested to philosophers that it possessed particular importance. This combination led to its being a "mystery" gland with myth, superstition and occult theories surrounding its perceived functions.

René Descartes, who dedicated much time to the study of the pineal gland, called it the "principal seat of the soul."^[28] He believed that it was the point of connection between the intellect and the body.^[29] Descartes attached significance to the gland because he believed it to be the only section of the brain which existed as a single part, rather than one half of a pair. He argued that because a person can never have "more than one thought at a time," external stimuli must be united within the brain before being considered by the soul, and he considered the pineal gland to be situated in "the most suitable possible place for this purpose," located centrally in the brain and surrounded by branches of the carotid arteries.^[28]

Baruch de Spinoza criticized Descartes' viewpoint for neither following from self-evident premises nor being "clearly and distinctly perceived" (Descartes having previously asserted that he could not draw conclusions of this sort), and questioned what Descartes meant by talking of "the union of the mind and the body."^[30]

The notion of a "pineal-eye" is central to the philosophy of the French writer Georges Bataille, which is analyzed at length by literary scholar Denis Hollier in his study Against Architecture. In this work Hollier discusses how Bataille uses the concept of a "pineal-eye" as a reference to a blind-spot in Western rationality, and an organ of excess and delirium.^[31] This conceptual device is explicit in his surrealist texts, The Jesuve and The Pineal Eye.^[32]

The notion of an inner third eye (attributed mystical significance) also occurs in ancient, central and east Asian, and new age philosophies.

Additional images[link]

The pineal body is labeled in these images.

• 

  Mesal aspect of a brain sectioned in the median sagittal plane.

• 

  Dissection showing the ventricles of the brain.

• 

  Hind- and mid-brains; antero-lateral view.

• 

  Median sagittal section of brain.

• 

  Pineal gland

References[link]

External links[link]

Look up pineal gland in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pineal gland

• BrainMaps at UCDavis pineal%20gland

• NeuroNames hier-280
• Histology at BU: Endocrine System: pineal gland (illustration)
• Anatomy Atlases, Microscopic atlas: Pineal gland
• MedPix: Images of Pineal region
• Ancient Brain Mapping and Origins of the Eye of Horus: Egyptian Study of the Pineal Gland

David Wilcock (born 8 March 1973 in Rotterdam, New York) is a lecturer, author, and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, California.^[2]

Biography[link]

Along with Wynn Free, Wilcock co-authored the book The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce?^[3] in 2004. Wilcock has appeared on several radio programs, including semi-regular appearances on Coast to Coast AM, and he had a role in the Syfy documentary 2012. He is a proponent of the theory that a large segment of humanity will undergo ascension in the year 2012. He also appeared in several episodes of the History Channel series Ancient Aliens.^[4]

Wilcock graduated from the State University of New York at New Paltz with a BA in Psychology.

Wilcock is the author of the 2011 non-fiction book The Source Field Investigations,^[5] which debuted at #18 on the The New York Times Best Seller list on September 11, 2011.^[6]

Controversial claims[link]

Wilcock has made some controversial claims, most notably that he may be the reincarnation of Edgar Cayce.^[7][8][9] In his book The Source Field Investigations (2011) he argues against the modern evolutionary synthesis by claiming that DNA and biological life emerge directly out of an energy source field.^[10]

See also[link]

• Edgar Cayce
• 2012 phenomenon

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website

Herbert Anthony Stevens IV (born February 23, 1987)^[2], better known by his stage name Ab-Soul, is an American hip hop recording artist from Carson, California currently signed to Top Dawg Entertainment and Interscope Records.^[3] Stevens is a member of hip hop supergroup Black Hippy along with fellow West Coast rappers and label mates Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar and ScHoolboy Q.^[4]

Biography[link]

1987-2010: Early life and career beginnings[link]

Stevens was born and raised in the suburb of Carson, California. He grew up with middle class parents, who owned a local record store called Magic Disc Music, where Stevens had to go everyday after school: "I worked there my whole life. We closed it last April. For a long time it was just something that my mom sold, it was just our business, so I didn't really care for it. I didn't understand the big deal about it, it was something we sold for money. It was my mom's job. Somewhere along the line, with my love and compassion for words and stories, I found a collection of music."^[5][6] At the age of 10, Stevens contracted Stevens–Johnson syndrome which caused him to be hospitalised and is the origin of his dark lips and light sensitive eyes: "When I got had got sick when I was younger of course it affected my lip skin, so coming up in school I had very dark lips and my eyes were low. I had to wear shades and shit. So I was quite peculiar. People teased me about my lips, and say I look high. I didn't even start smoking weed until after I graduated from high school."^[7]

Stevens claims to have written his first verse when he was 12 years old, to Twista's "Emotions": "I was like, I can do this; I'll try it out. And I wrote it out. That's a day I remember vividly. From that moment I've had a very keen interest in the whole craft. Being a big fan of words and making the real connection with them. Saying things that can make your eyes open up. I can say something and I can turn heads.^[8] However it wasn't until he graduated high school that he began to take his music career seriously: "I just wanted to be tight with [my raps] but I was growing a passion for it. Wasn't until after I graduated from high school and checked into the community college that I realized I wanted to be a rapper full time. I probably did the equivalent of a half a semester total, in my attendance. I tried one semester and dropped out and then I tried another semester and dropped out. So it just didn't work out."^[8] In 2002, Stevens recorded his first song. In 2005, he signed a recording contract with StreetBeat Entertainment, but just a year later in 2006, he met Punch, president and chairman of Top Dawg Entertainment, who as Stevens says, saw more in his music "than metaphors and punchlines": "As soon as I had graduated from high school I had signed an independent contract with a small label called StreetBeat Entertainment. Take it as a learning experience. But during that time, I had started working with TDE. That deal was for two years, so as soon as that was up, I built a relationship with TDE and became a member of that family."^[9]

In 2007, Stevens officially became part of the Top Dawg roster, which already boasted fellow up-and-coming rappers, Jay Rock and Kendrick Lamar. Stevens states The Autobiography of Malcolm X as one of the texts that really enlightened him saying: "It just taught me a lot about people, religion, society, possibilities in society, success, and things like that. From there, I’ve just been very observant about a lot of the major political figures or religious figures that we have and I’ve been keeping a close eye to [them]. It may seem transparent, but ultimately it’s very important to [draw your own conclusions]."^[10]

In 2008, he began recording music for his debut mixtape, at the TDE Recording Studio: House of Pain. The mixtape, titled Longterm was released in January 2009. The mixtape was the first in a series, that Stevens claims will have four installments: "When I did the first Longterm I knew that there would be four of them. When I did the first one. So there will be four of them: Longterm 1, 2, 3, and 4. So right now we're at two. You'll have to wait for the next one. That’s for the next Ab-Soul interview.".^[11] In 2009, he formed Black Hippy with fellow label mates and frequent collaborators Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock and Kendrick Lamar. His second mixtape, and the sequel to the first, Longterm 2: Lifestyles of the Broke and Almost Famous was released on June 28, 2010. The tape was highly acclaimed and featured Stevens singing on several songs.

[edit] 2011-present: Longterm Mentality and Control System

Stevens released his first independent album, under Top Dawg Entertainment, exclusively through iTunes on April 5, 2011. The album, although it's title is Longterm Mentality, is not the third part of his Longterm series. The album peaked at #76 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. The independent albums of his label mates partly inspired material on the album: "I compare [the process behind] Longterm Mentality to the process with all of my joints. Kendrick’s OD (Overly Dedicated) had came out and Q’s Setbacks had came out. I had these bodies of work to go off of as references, as inspiration. I hear what Kendrick is talking about, I hear what Q is talking about, I heard what Jay Rock was talking about. So how am I going to piece this all together and add my own two cents, too? How do I continue the sound but have my individuality as an artist? It's the same challenge every single time."^[12]

Soon after the release of Schoolboy Q's Habits & Contradictions (2012), Stevens began promoting his second independent album, releasing a song titled "Black Lip Bastard" on January 17, 2012. The song was produced by TDE in-house producer Willie B.^[13] On February 28, 2012, Ab-Soul, along with Schoolboy Q, appeared on Sway Calloway's #SwayInTheMorning radio show, where Ab-Soul called "Black Lip Bastard": "pretty much one of the title tracks",^[14] The first song that appears on the album, to be released was "Showin' Love", also produced by Willie B.^[15] In March 2012, MTV announced that Top Dawg Entertainment, the independent record label Stevens is signed to, closed a joint venture deal with Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment, marking the end of his career as an independent artist. Under the new deal, Black Hippy cohort, Kendrick Lamar's debut studio album, good kid, m.A.A.d city will be jointly released via Top Dawg/Interscope/Aftermath, while releases from the rest of Black Hippy will be distributed via Top Dawg/Interscope.^[1] On March 24, Schoolboy Q announced #TheGroovyTour; a month long tour with Ab-Soul accompanying him the entire way. The tour began on April 20 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California.^[16]

On April 6, 2012, Ab-Soul released "Terrorist Threats". The song features frequent collaborator Jhené Aiko and fellow rapper Danny Brown, who proclaimed on Twitter that "Black Hippy the new Beatles and I'm Harry Nilsson".^[17] On April 17, 2012, Ab-Soul revealed the album's title to be Control System and unveiled the release date to be May 11, 2012. That same day he also released a music video for "Pineal Gland", a song inspired by the psychedelic drug DMT and of course the pineal gland, a small endocrine gland in the vertebrate brain.^[18][19] On April 24, 2012, another single, by the title of "SOPA" was released. The song, produced by Nez & Rio, references Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), a United States bill introduced by U.S. Representative Lamar S. Smith, that would've allowed the U.S. government to control the internet.^[20]

On May 1, 2012, Ab-Soul released another music video, for a new song titled "Empathy", the song features vocals from JaVonte and his late friend/girlfriend Alori Joh, who committed suicide in February.^[21] On May 4, 2012, it was revealed "Black Lip Bastard" was remixed and will feature his Black Hippy cohorts, Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q.^[22] On May 8, 2012, his collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, titled "ILLuminate", was released. The day before the album's release Ab-Soul revealed the track listing and released snippets from the album. The album, as written on the back cover, is "Dedicated to the beautiful soul of Loriana Angel Johnson aka Alori Joh"^[23]

Discography[link]

Independent albums[link]

Mixtapes[link]

Promotional singles[link]

Guest appearances[link]

Music videos[link]

As main artist[link]

As featured artist[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Ab-Soul on Myspace
• Ab-Soul on Twitter
• Ab-Soul at Allmusic