Legait H, Legait J F
Bull Assoc Anat (Nancy). 1980 Sep;64(186):399-414.
The ponderal statistical study of the human pineal gland (899 cases), of the hypophysis (465 cases) and of the encephalon (923 cases) shows: 1) An important ponderal difference between the two sexes for the hypophysis (heavier in women) and for the encephalon (heavier in men) while the weight of the pineal gland is the same in men and in women. 2) An important ponderal involution during the last decades of a lifetime for the encephalon in both sexes, more precocius in women, a tardy involution for the female hypophysis and a nearly inexistant involution for the pineal gland in both men and women. 3) A marked involution of the pineal gland as well as a weight diminution of the encephalon in cases of hepatic disorders, (the largest number of cases in our series concerning alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis) while the hypophysis remains unchanged. The two endocranian glands show important ponderal differences of evolution in the course of a lifetime, in both sexes and in certain pathological conditions, differences that can possibly be explained by their distinct embryological origin.
