The pineal gland has been a subject of interest and speculation for more than 2000 years. Greek anatomists were impressed by the ob servation that the pineal gland is an unpaired structure and they believed that it regulated the flow of thoughts. The philosopher Descartes proposed an important role for this organ in brain function. At the beginning of the 20th century experiments by several investi gators indicated that the pineal influenced sexual function and skin pigmentation and was also responsive to light signals. With the iso lation of melatonin from bovine pineal glands by Lerner and cowork ers in 1958 the modern era of pineal research was initiated. Within a few years the pathway for the biosynthesis of melatonin in the pineal was elucidated. Soon thereafter it was shown that the formation of melatonin was influenced by environmental lighting. Ana tomists found that the pineal was innervated by sympathetic nerves and that the gland had photoreceptor elements. It was also shown that the gonads were influenced by light via the pineal gland. Research on the pineal gland became of increasing interest to anatomists, bioche mists, pharmacologists and endocrinologists. With the expanding know ledge concerning the function of the pineal gland contributed by the wide variety of disciplines, it was thought that a study workshop would be timely.

The link between the pineal gland and cancer is a rapidly emerging research field due to promising experimental and clinical trials with melatonin. The pineal gland acts as a transducer of environmental light to regulate rhythmic processes, including reproductive function in seasonally breeding animals and the entrainment of circadian rhythms, such as the sleep-wake cycle, in man. This book elucidates the physiological significance of the pineal gland and surveys phenomena and mechanisms of pineal - tumor interaction at the neuroendocrine, neuroimmune, neural, and molecular levels. Yet unidentified low-molecular-weight pineal substances with tumor-inhibiting capacity, a possible involvement of melatonin in electromagnetic field effects on cancer, and the oncotherapeutic potential of melatonin are also addressed. The encouraging results should incite further research to elucidate the exact nature of the link between the pineal gland and cancer for the benefit of patients.

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This book is designed as an introductory text in neuroendocrinology; the study of the interaction between the brain and endocrine system and the influence of this on behaviour. The endocrine glands, pituitary gland and hypothalamus and their interactions and hormones are discussed. The action of steroid and thyroid hormone receptors and the regulation of target cell response to hormones is examined. The function of neuropeptides is discussed with respect to the neuroendocrine system and behaviour. The neuroimmune system and lymphokines are described and the interaction between the neuroendocrine and neuroimmune systems discussed. Finally, methods for studying hormonal influences on behaviour are outlined. Each chapter has review and essay questions designed for advanced students and honours or graduate students with a background in neuroscience, respectively.

This volume provides the reader with an overview of an intriguing and interdisciplinary field of research. For the first time the mammalian pineal gland, its mode of action and its physiological effects are discussed in a comprehensive, single-authored work.

For years lip service has been paid to a belief in a biological basis for schizophrenia, but ,nevertheless psychosocial and psychodynamic "theories" of schizophrenia have been promulgated, and these have detracted from the all important biological work, Eclecticism has ruled the day and has caused considerable confusion, As a result research in schizophrenia has not progressed as fast as it should have done and treatment has been less effective than it could otherwise have been. This book is devoted to a wholly biological approach to the problem of schizophrenia, in the hope that many more workers will enter this exciting field of research. A wide variety of topics is covered, including brain structure; the genetics, pathogenesis and treatment of schizophrenia; a consideration of dietary and immunological factors and finally a chapter on alcoholism as it seems possible that the problems of schizophrenia and addiction are linked. We are grateful to all our contributors and to MTP Press for their enthusiasm for this book. Gwynneth P Hemmings William A Hemmings XI SECTION 1: Structure 1 The brain stem reticular formation K. E. WEBSTER There can be no question that the brain stem reticular lormation no longer exercises the same fascination for neurologists that it did a quarter of a century ago.

Research related to the pineal gland has advanced rapidly in the last three decades since the discovery of its most important hormone, melatonin. This indoleamine has been shown to have a large variety of effects in the organism; the bulk of these actions were initially thought to relate the pineal gland to the reproductive and endocrine systems. It is now apparent, however, that the physiologic interactions of the pineal and its hormones far transcend its control of endocrine function. One field of pineal research that has developed rapidly within the last 5 years has been the demonstration of its relationship to the immune system. Since the pineal gland is part of the central nervous system, these observations generally fall in the category of neuroimmunology, an area that, in its own right, has received a great deal of attention in the last decade. Thus, a NATO Advanced Study Course entitled "Role of Melatonin and Pineal Pep tides in Neuroimmunomodulation" was convened in Erice, Sicily, on June 3-9, 1990. This book is a result of the scientific presentations given at the workshop. The contributions to the book include mini-review articles which summarized the presentations of the invited speakers as well as a selected number of brief communications where the subject matter was in line with the theme of the Advanced Study Course.