Calcium content and concretions of pineal glands of young and old rats

Summary Calcium content and pineal concretions were studied in young (2–3 months) and old (28 months) Wistar rats. Samples, deep-frozen by liquid propane/isopentane and freeze-dried were analysed by means of X-ray microanalysis in a scanning electron microscope. Total semi-quantitative measurements revealed that pineals of old rats showed a marked increase of calcium compared with the pineals of young rats. It is thus suggested that a calcium-rich environment is responsible for the growth of pineal concretions, which only appear in old rats. Pineal calcifications in rats could thus be an indicator of aging and/or of a degenerating state.