Background: Tumors of the pineal gland are relatively rare. Most are solid, infiltrative lesions characterized by either germ cell, glial, or pineal parenchymal origin. To our knowledge, none have been described that contain an admixture of both anaplastic glial and neuronal elements.
Case Report: The authors present a case of a primary anaplastic glio-neuronal tumor of the pineal gland in a 78-year-old gentleman who presented with hydrocephalus. The patient underwent an endoscopic third ventriculostomy for treatment of his hydrocephalus as well as tumor biopsy under endoscopic visualization.
Results: Sections of the tumor displayed a modestly to moderately cellular neoplasm infiltrating the residual pineal gland. The majority of the nuclei appeared hyperchromatic, spindle-shaped, and pleomorphic, with fibrillary cytoplasmic processes. Rare nuclei were round with vesicular chromatin and red nucleoli. Mitotic figures were easily identified, despite small sample size. GFAP immunostaining highlighted the fibrillar background and cytoplasmic processes while synaptophysin immunostains revealed intense, dot-like positivity in the rounder nuclei with vesicular chromatin. Although the different nuclear morphologies seen on the hematoxylin-eosin stained slides suggested both glial and neuronal origin, immunostains were required to confirm the presence of dual differentiation.
Conclusion: We present the first case of a primary anaplastic glio-neuronal neoplasm of the pineal gland. Increased use of immunostaining may unveil additional cases in the future. Furthermore, additional research will be required to determine whether the dual differentiation has prognostic significance.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2003.08.004 | DOI Listing |
Radiol Case Rep
March 2025
Unit of Neurosurgery, Sant'Elia Hospital, via Luigi Russo n° 6, Caltanissetta, Italy.
Pineal cysts are benign, nonneoplastic lesions of the pineal gland, often identified incidentally on MRI scans. Although these cysts are usually asymptomatic, they can occasionally enlarge and compress adjacent structures, leading to neurological complications such as obstructive hydrocephalus and Parinaud's syndrome. The underlying mechanisms of pineal cyst development remain largely unclear, although inflammation - common in rheumatological conditions such as fibromyalgia - and mechanical stress have been suggested as contributing factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChilds Nerv Syst
January 2025
Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Biruni University, Istanbul, Turkey.
A 5-month-old male patient presented with obstructive hydrocephalus caused by pineal cyst apoplexy. Ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery was performed for hydrocephalus treatment. During follow-up, spontaneous shrinkage of the cyst was observed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Biol Int
December 2024
College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Melatonin (MT), an endogenous hormone secreted by pineal gland, has the sedative, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. However, there are few studies on whether MT affects the proliferation and differentiation of antler chondrocytes. The present study investigated the influences of MT on the proliferation and differentiation of antler chondrocytes, explored its regulation on runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), NOTCH1 and sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling, and elucidated their interplays.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
November 2024
Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, USA.
Prompt emergence from general anesthesia is crucial after neurosurgical procedures, such as craniotomies, to facilitate timely neurological evaluation for identification of intraoperative complications. Delayed emergence can be caused by residual anesthetics, metabolic imbalances, and intracranial pathology, for which an eye examination can provide early diagnostic clues. The sunset sign (or setting sun sign), characterized by a downward deviation of the eyes, can be an early indicator of raised intracranial pressure (ICP) or midbrain compression, as is commonly observed in states of hydrocephalus or periaqueductal or tectal plate dysfunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPol J Vet Sci
December 2024
Technology and Research Research & Development Center (MARGEM), Hatay Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey.
Nicotine, the main toxic component of tobacco, directly or indirectly causes adverse effects on the liver metabolism. Melatonin, secreted by the pineal gland, has anti-apoptotic activity as well as antioxidant activity. The aim of this study was to reveal the antiapoptotic effects of melatonin in rats with experimentally induced chronic liver damage with nicotine.
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