Seasonal Affective Disorder Case Study

A Case of Seasonal Affective Disorder

The pineal gland is located at the core of the brain. It is on between the cerebellum, Pons, and corpus curiosum. The pineal gland produces the serotonin derivative melatonin. It is a hormone that controls the sleeping and awakening of the body. The pineal Gland is attached to the end of the backside end of the roof of the third ventricle in the brain. It is along the middle of the Corpus callosum.

The pineal gland is functionally related to the adrenal medulla because it converts different signals from the sympathetic nervous system into a hormonal signal. Light exposure to the retina is first relayed to the Suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, an area of the brain, well known to coordinate biological clock signals. Fibers from the hypothalamus descend to the spinal cord and ultimately project to the superior cervical ganglia from which, postganglionic neurons ascend back to the pineal gland. Pineal is similar to the adrenal medulla in the sense that it transduces signals from the sympathetic nervous system into a hormonal signal.

The circadian rhythm determines the feeding and sleeping patterns of all animals including humans. The circadian rhythm is the bodies “ internal clock”. The circadian rhythm is in charge of regulating brain wave, hormones and the sleep/ wake pattern. The bodies’ internal clock is set by light-dark cycle over a twenty-four hour period.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is defined as depression that is onset by lack of sunshine that leads one to depression. The melatonin decreases production this process is referred to as the “winter blues”. Treatments one can rely on are sunlamps, tanning bed usage and therapy as well as prescription drug treatment.

Melatonin hormone that controls the sleep and wake cycle, is effected by the shorter days of winter months and your body may produce melatonin earlier in the day or later than it usually does. In jet lag when traveling far distances our bodies...