Pituitary gland - Epiphysis

The Pituitary gland :

The pituitary gland ^[81,82,83] (hypophysis) is an endocrine gland housed in a bony cavity (the sella turcica ^[84]) and connected to the hypothalamus above by the pituitary stalk ^[64]. It is small in size but plays an extremely important role in the body, given the variety of hormones it produces.

Two parts of the pituitary gland are distinguished and have different embryonic origins: an anterior part, the anterior pituitary (adenohypophysis), and a posterior part, the posterior pituitary (neurohypophysis).

The anterior pituitary :

The adenohypophysis ^[42] secretes: growth hormone (GH), prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH).

The posterior pituitary :

The neurohypophysis ^[42] is not composed of glandular cells per se. It contains the nerve endings of neurons originating in the hypothalamus, which release oxytocin and vasopressin (ADH or antidiuretic hormone) directly into the bloodstream through neurosecretion.

The pineal gland :

Also called the epiphysis ^{[4, 40, 42]}, is an endocrine gland located behind the third ventricle. It secretes melatonin, which plays a fundamental role in regulating the circadian rhythm, the body's internal biological clock.

Descartes considered this gland to be the "seat of the soul" (origin of the mind) ^[39].