Updated View on the Relation of the Pineal Gland to Autism Spectrum Disorders
Frontiers in Endocrinology February 4, 2019 Tal Shomrat, Nir Nesher 23 citations
Autism may involve dysfunction of the pineal gland, leading to low melatonin levels and sleep disorders. The pineal gland's principal hormone, melatonin, synchronizes body processes with circadian and seasonal rhythms. Abnormal neuroplasticity in autism, such as cortical overgrowth and dendritic spine dysgenesis, might be caused by hyperactivity of endogenous N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which the pineal gland may produce. This suggests that pineal dysfunction could contribute to autism through both melatonin deficiency and abnormal DMT metabolism. Future research into the DMT hypothesis and reexamination of prior observations could inform treatments involving exogenous melatonin and controlled light exposure.