Kunz D, Bes F, Schlattmann P, Herrmann W M
Department of Psychiatry, Interdisciplinary Sleep Clinic, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.
Psychiatry Res. 1998 Jun 30;82(3):187-91. doi: 10.1016/s0925-4927(98)00013-4.
We classified the degree of pineal calcification (DOC) into seven groups using cranial Computer Tomography (cCT) and then correlated pineal DOC to chronic subjective sleep-related disturbances as measured by a sleep questionnaire in 36 patients. Analysed by logistic regression models, age and sex were not, but higher pineal DOC was significantly associated with the presence of daytime tiredness (OR = 4.15, 95% CI: 1.63, 10.54) and sleep disturbance (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.74). This study provides initial confirmation of the hypothesis that the increasing degree of pineal calcification (DOC) might indicate a decrease of melatonin production, which consecutively might lead to a disturbed circadian rhythmicity in the sleep-wake cycle, with the principal symptom being daytime tiredness.
