Describe the pathway connecting photoreceptors of the eyes to the pineal gland?

Answer 1

The photo receptors in the eyes are not connected to the pineal gland. They are connected through the optic nerve (Cranial Nerve II) which goes through the brain stem and then into the occipital lobes of the cerebral cortex, also called the visual cortex. The pineal gland is in the area of the brain called the diencephalon and lies just anterior of the occipital lobes and so has indirect association with the cranial nerves that bring in impulses from the stimulation of the photo receptors to light. The information that the pineal gland gets about the amount of daylight, or broad spectrum light, that enters the eyes then allows it to set the day/night clock of the brain with the help of the hypothalamus.