Vriend J, Sackman J W, Reiter R J
Acta Endocrinol (Copenh). 1977 Dec;86(4):758-62. doi: 10.1530/acta.0.0860758.
Blinding young male golden hamsters led to a depression of the plasma free thyroxine index after an 8 week period. Removal of either the pineal gland or the superior cervical ganglia of blind hamsters reversed the effects of blinding on free thyroxine index. No significant effects were observed 2 weeks after treatment. Previously reported effects of blinking, and removal of the pineal gland or the superior cervical ganglia on testicular weight were confirmed. A similar mechanism of pineal inhibition of thyroid function and gonadal function is suggested.
