The Pineal Gland

The Pineal Gland: "Light signals perceived by the retina are conveyed via the retinohypothalamic tract to the SCN, and then to the mammalian pineal gland via the previously mentioned pathway (Korf et al., 1998; Korf, 1999). Light exerts a distinct suppressive effect on melatonin production irrespective of whether it is full spectrum white light, monochromatic light or UV-A light. The amount of light required to suppress melatonin production at night varies with species, previous light exposures, and the particular time of the night (Bojkowski et al., 1987; Brainard et al., 1988, 2001). Blue light (446-477 nm) is the most effective light to suppress melatonin (Brainard et al., 2001), thus suggesting that the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are involved in this phenomenon (Paul et al., 2009). Another important factor involved in the regulation of melatonin synthesis and levels is age."

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