Abstract
It is known that two systems exist for processing light detected by the retina. The visual system serves to process images, while nonvisual photic information is used primarily for regulating circadian rhythms. Both anatomical and physiological studies suggest that these systems use separate neural pathways with a small degree of overlap. While the visual neuroanatomy and neurophysiology has been fairly well established, the circadian pathways and physiology are less understood. It is known that the circadian pathway involves the relay of information from the retina directly through the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT) to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), and indirectly by way of a projection to the thalamic intergeniculate leaflets which then project back to the SCN. [1, 2, 3] Ultimately, information about light is relayed from the SCN to the pineal gland by way of a multisynaptic pathway. Signals from the retina and associated circadian neuroantomy are responsible for the photic regulation of melatonin biosynthesis and secretion in the pineal gland. [2]
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Moore, R. Y. and N. J. Lenn 1972. A retinohypothalamic projection in the rat.J. Comp. Neurol 146:1–14.
Klein, D. C., R. Y. Moore and S. M. Reppert, eds., 1991. Suprachiasmatic Nucleus: The Mind’s Clock. Oxford:Oxford University Press, 5–456.
Moore, R. Y., J. C. Speh and J. P. Card 1995. The retinohypothalamic tract originates from a distinct subset of retinal ganglion cells. J. Comp. Neurol. 352:351–366.
Soni, B. G., A. R. Philp, R. G. Foster and B. E. Knox 1998. Novel retinal photoreceptors. Nature 394:27–28.
Brainard, G. C., M. D. Rollag and J. P. Hanifin 1997. Photic regulation of melatonin in humans: ocular and neural signal transduction. J Biol. Rhythms 12:537–546.
Webb, S. M., T. H. Champney, A. K. Lewinski and R. J. Reiter 1985. Photoreceptor damage and eye pigmentation: influence on the sensitivity of rat pineal N-acetyltransferase activity and melatonin levels to light at night. Neuroendocrinology 40:205–209.
Foster, R. G., I. Provencio, D. Hudson, S. Fiske, W. DeGrip and M. Menaker 1991. Circadian photoreception in the retinally degenerate mouse (rd/rd). J. Comp. Physiol. [A] 169:39–50.
Provencio, I. and R. G. Foster 1995. Circadian rhythms in mice can be regulated by photoreceptors with cone-like characteristics. Brain Res. 694:183–190.
Czeisler, C. A., T. L. Shanahan, E. B. Klerman, H. Martens, D. J. Brotman, J. S. Emens, T. Klein and J. F. Rizzo, III 1995. Suppression of melatonin secretion in some blind patients by exposure to bright light. N. Engl. J. Med. 332:6–11.
Ruberg, F. L., D. J. Skene, J. P. Hanifin, M. D. Rollag, J. English, J. Arendt and G. C. Brainard 1996. Melatonin regulation in humans with color vision deficiencies. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 81:2980–2985.
Minneman, K. P., H. Lynch and R. J. Wurtman 1974. Relationship between environmental light intensity and retina-mediated suppression of rat pineal serotonin-Nacetyltransferase. Life Sci. 15:1791–1796.
Brainard, G. C., B. A. Richardson, T. S. King, S. A. Matthews and R. J. Reiter 1983. The suppression of pineal melatonin content and N-acetyltransferase activity by different light i rradiances in the Syrian hamster: a dose-response relationship. Endocrinology 113:293–296.
Brainard, G. C., A. J. Lewy, M. Menaker, L. S. Miller, R. H. Fredrickson, R. G. Weleber, V. Casson and D. Hudson 1988. Dose-response relationship between light irradiance and the suppression of melatonin in human volunteers. Brain Res. 454:212–218.
McIntyre, I. M., T. R. Norman, G. D. Burrows and S. M. Armstrong 1989. Human melatonin suppression by light is intensity dependent. J. Pineal Res. 6:149–156.
Brainard, G. C., J. M. Greeson and J. P. Hanifin 1999. Action spectra for circadian and neuroendocrine regulation in mammals. In Proceedings of the 1998 International Symposium on Measurements of Optical Radiation Hazards, ICNIRP, in press.
Gaddy, J. R., M. Edelson, K. Stewart, G. C. Brainard and M. D. Rollag 1992. Possible retinal spatial summation in melatonin suppresion. In Biologic Effects of Light,M. F. Holick and A. M. Kligman, eds. New York: Walter de Gruyter & Co., 196–204.
Gaddy, J. R., F. L. Ruberg, G. C. Brainard and M. D. Rollag 1994. Pupillary modulation of light-induced melatonin suppression. In The Biologic Effects of Light M. F. Holick and E. G. Jung, eds. Berlin:Walter de Gruyter & Co., 159–168.
Rollag, M. D. and G. D. Niswender 1976. Radioimmunoassay of serum concentrations of melatonin in sheep exposed to different lighting regimens. Endocrinology 98:482–489.
Gaddy, J. R., M. D. Rollag and G. C. Brainard 1993. Pupil size regulation of threshold of light-induced melatonin suppression.J Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 77:1398–1401
Adler, J. S., D. F. Kripke, R. T. Loving and S. L. Berga 1992. Peripheral vision suppression of melatonin. J Pineal Res. 12:49–52.
Lasko, T. A., D. F. Kripke and J. A. Elliott 1998. Melatonin suppression by illumination of upper and lower visual fields. J Biol. Rhythms, in press.
Visser, E. K., D. G. M. Beersma and S. Daan 1998. Melatonin suppression by light in humans is maximal when the nasal part of the retina is illuminated. J Biol. Rhythms, in press.
Wetterberg, L., ed., 1993. Light and Biological Rhythms in Man. Stockholm:Pergamon Press, 1–448.
Lam, R. W., ed., 1998. Seasonal Affective Disorder and Beyond: Light Treatment for SAD and Non-SAD Disorders. Washington, D.C.:American Psychiatric Press, 1–327.
Lockley, S. W., D. J. Skene, J. Arendt, H. Tabandeh, A. C. Bird and R. Defrace 1997. Relationship between melatonin rhythms and visual loss in the blind. J Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 82:3763–3770.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wang, J.Y., Hanifin, J.P., Rollag, M.D., Brainard, G.C. (1999). Ocular Regulation of the Human Pineal Gland: the Significance of Total Retinal Exposure for Melatonin Suppression. In: Holick, M.F., Jung, E.G. (eds) Biologic Effects of Light 1998. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5051-8_59
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-5051-8_59
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-7296-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-5051-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive