Updated View on the Relation of the Pineal Gland to Autism Spectrum Disorders

Frontiers in Endocrinology
Tal Shomrat, Nir Nesher

Abstract

Identification of the biological features of autism is essential for designing an efficient treatment and for prevention of the disorder. Though the subject of extensive research, the neurophysiological features of autism remain unclear. One of the proposed biological causes of autism is malfunction of the pineal gland and deficiency of its principal hormone, melatonin. The main function of melatonin is to link and synchronize the body's homeostasis processes to the circadian and seasonal rhythms, and to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Therefore, pineal dysfunction has been implicated based on the common observation of low melatonin levels and sleep disorders associated with autism. In this perspective, we highlight several recent findings that support the hypothesis of pineal gland/melatonin involvement in autism. Another common symptom of autism is abnormal neuroplasticity, such as cortical overgrowth and dendritic spine dysgenesis. Here, we synthesize recent information and speculate on the possibility that this abnormal neuroplasticity is caused by hyperactivity of endogenous N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The pineal gland was proposed as the source of DMT in the brain and therefore, our assumption is that besides melatonin d...Continue Reading

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Citations

Nov 5, 2019·Current Pharmaceutical Design·Luciana PinatoSanseray da Silveira Cruz-Machado
Dec 5, 2020·The American Journal of Occupational Therapy : Official Publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association·Katie AppleyardBarbara Galland

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