Pineal gland, ageing, research in US, UK, GDR, Japan

[Harry]

	It seems that in the US, UK, Germany, and Japan the thrust of 
funding in ageing in mammals is in extrinsic causes (eg RG_Cutler 
(1978) "Evolutionary Biology of Senescence" in _Biology of Aging_ 
edited by JA Behnke (New York, Plenum) pp. 311-60; and D_Harman (1992) 
"Free Radical Theory of Aging" _Mutation Research_ 275:257-66) and 
dietary restriction (eg EJ_Masoro (1992) "A Dietary Key to Uncovering 
Aging Processes" _News in Physiological Sciences_ 7:157-160).
	When literature searching I have found conference proceedings 
from small groups in Russia and Italy suggesting that pineal 
transplant (or even night-time feeding of melatonin) can lead to 
increased mean lifespans in rats (eg VA Lesnikov & W Pierpaoli (1994) 
"Pineal cross transplantation (Old-to-Yound and vice versa) as 
evidence for an Endogenous Aging Clock" Annals NY Acad. Sciences 
719:456-460).  With the exception of W Regelson (Piepaoli's 
collaborator from Richmond, VA) there seems to be no follow up on this 
important work, especially curious as there is not (to my knowledge) 
any demonstration in mammals that  adding oxygen radical scavengers 
increases lifespans.
	I assume that the lack of follow-up in the US, UK, Germany, 
and Japan is due to the skepticism.  Has there been any US pursuit of 
this idea?  Is there evidence for radical scavengers increasing 
lifespan in mammals?
Harry Witchel