THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS ON THE NATURE OF THE PINEAL AGING CLOCK

The models developed in our laboratory demonstrate that ageing initiat es and progresses in the pineal gland. However, the ageing postponing effects of pineal grafting into older recipients cannot be explained b y a simple maintenance and/or normalization of the night melatonin syn thesis and release. We propose here that the pineal gland monitors and regulates, via its control of neuroendocrine function, the maintenanc e of 'self-identity' and the capacity of the immune system to recogniz e and react against any noxious, endogenous or exogenous agent. Senesc ence is characterized by the extinction of this central pineal functio n. The progressive decline of the self-recognition capacity distinguis hes the typical diseases of ageing expressed as emergence of periphera l desynchronization and autoimmune, anaplastic, neoplastic and degener ative processes. Our approaches aim at a prevention and/or restoration of central pineal functions.