Abstract
Although during the early 20th century the pineal gland was considered to have littlefunctional significance, the activity of its secretory product, melatonin, has beenincreasingly appreciated during recent decades. Melatonin has a role in the sleep-wakecycle and recent studies have shown that it acutely enhances mating behaviour and libido.Since reproductive activity is obviously of primary importance for the survival of species, this could plausibly suggest a circadian control of mating behaviour. In this chapter, weargue that the coupling of mating behaviour to light-dark shifts by melatonin might haveinfluenced the survival of species, and this could throw fresh light on the evolutionarysignificance of the pineal gland.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Hypotheses in Clinical Medicine |
| Publisher | Nova Science Publishers, Inc. |
| Pages | 217-226 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781622572762 |
| State | Published - Dec 1 2013 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Fingerprint
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
The potential evolutionary significance of the pineal gland. / Agutter, Paul S.; Tubbs, R. Shane; Loukas, Marios; Farhoudi, Mehdi; Ghaffari, Alireza; Mortazavi, Martin M.; Ghabili, Kamyar; Mohajel Shoja, Mohammadali.
Hypotheses in Clinical Medicine. Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2013. p. 217-226.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
}
TY - CHAP
T1 - The potential evolutionary significance of the pineal gland
AU - Agutter, Paul S.
AU - Tubbs, R. Shane
AU - Loukas, Marios
AU - Farhoudi, Mehdi
AU - Ghaffari, Alireza
AU - Mortazavi, Martin M.
AU - Ghabili, Kamyar
AU - Mohajel Shoja, Mohammadali
PY - 2013/12/1
Y1 - 2013/12/1
N2 - Although during the early 20th century the pineal gland was considered to have littlefunctional significance, the activity of its secretory product, melatonin, has beenincreasingly appreciated during recent decades. Melatonin has a role in the sleep-wakecycle and recent studies have shown that it acutely enhances mating behaviour and libido.Since reproductive activity is obviously of primary importance for the survival of species, this could plausibly suggest a circadian control of mating behaviour. In this chapter, weargue that the coupling of mating behaviour to light-dark shifts by melatonin might haveinfluenced the survival of species, and this could throw fresh light on the evolutionarysignificance of the pineal gland.
AB - Although during the early 20th century the pineal gland was considered to have littlefunctional significance, the activity of its secretory product, melatonin, has beenincreasingly appreciated during recent decades. Melatonin has a role in the sleep-wakecycle and recent studies have shown that it acutely enhances mating behaviour and libido.Since reproductive activity is obviously of primary importance for the survival of species, this could plausibly suggest a circadian control of mating behaviour. In this chapter, weargue that the coupling of mating behaviour to light-dark shifts by melatonin might haveinfluenced the survival of species, and this could throw fresh light on the evolutionarysignificance of the pineal gland.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84895229509&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84895229509&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Chapter
SN - 9781622572762
SP - 217
EP - 226
BT - Hypotheses in Clinical Medicine
PB - Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
ER -