Structural variation of the pineal gland in shift workers from neuroimaging evidence

Night work disrupts the circadian system, alters melatonin signaling, and is associated with sleep and mental health disturbances. The pineal gland is central to circadian regulation. However, structural neuroimaging evidence of pineal adaptation to chronic circadian disruption in humans remains limited. This cross-sectional neuroimaging study included 110 healthcare workers, 32 night workers and 78 day workers. High-resolution T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify total pineal gland volume, parenchymal volume, and cyst prevalence. Circadian-related sleep disturbance was assessed using the General Sleep Disturbance Scale. Associations with night-work exposure and sleep domains were examined using nonparametric statistical methods. Total and parenchymal pineal volumes did not differ between both workers. However, the pineal cyst prevalence was higher among night workers. Within the night-work group, a greater pineal parenchymal volume correlated positively with sleep-maintenance disturbance. Pineal volume increased during early night-work exposure and subsequently stabilized with longer exposure. Night work was associated with distinct pineal structural features, potentially reflecting morphological adaptations of the human circadian system to chronic disruption. These preliminary findings suggest that pineal morphology could serve as a circadian strain structural marker, but longitudinal studies incorporating direct circadian and hormonal measures are required to establish its biomarker potential.