-
The Journal of Adolescent Health :... Jun 2015
Topics: Adolescent Behavior; Female; Humans; Male; Psychosexual Development; Puberty; Sexual Behavior
PubMed: 26003571
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.03.011 -
Annals of the New York Academy of... Jun 1997Growth hormone levels rise steadily through normal puberty, in parallel with the pubertal stages but decline rapidly at the end of puberty (stage V). The general... (Review)
Review
Growth hormone levels rise steadily through normal puberty, in parallel with the pubertal stages but decline rapidly at the end of puberty (stage V). The general evolution of the secretory profile of GH is parallel to the growth velocity curve. The frequency of GH pulses remains unchanged; however, their amplitude, mean integrated concentrations, area under the curve, and urinary growth hormone are elevated at midpuberty. The main action of GH is to ensure, together with sex steroids, the pubertal growth spurt. However, the role of pubertal GH is not confined to inducing the pubertal growth spurt. It also participates, together with sex steroids, in the acquisition of adult bone mineral density.
Topics: Adolescent; Bone Density; Child; Female; Growth Hormone; Humans; Puberty
PubMed: 9238256
DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1997.tb52130.x -
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology Jul 2006This report reviews the available evidence from large population studies regarding a secular change in the timing and progress of puberty since 1960 in US children in... (Review)
Review
This report reviews the available evidence from large population studies regarding a secular change in the timing and progress of puberty since 1960 in US children in light of concurrent increases in the prevalence of obesity. There probably was a secular decrease in the median age of onset and progression of genital development in Mexican-American boys and breast development Mexican-American girls in the 1980s and 1990s. The data are insufficient to do more than suggest corresponding trends in black boys and black girls, but there is no evidence of breast changes in white girls. Mean age of menarche decreased by approximately 3 months in US white girls and 5.5 months in US black girls between the late 1960s and approximately 1990. Evidence from a single study indicates the secular changes in age at menarche are consistent with the magnitude of secular change in obesity, although other evidence is equivocal.
Topics: Age Factors; Female; Humans; Male; Menarche; Obesity; Prevalence; Puberty; Puberty, Precocious; Sexual Maturation; Social Change; Time; United States
PubMed: 16759793
DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2006.04.013 -
Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology Jul 2006Ever since the publication of the first textbook on human growth by Johann Augustin Stoeller in 1729, temporal changes (or secular trends) in growth and pubertal... (Review)
Review
Ever since the publication of the first textbook on human growth by Johann Augustin Stoeller in 1729, temporal changes (or secular trends) in growth and pubertal maturation have been observed throughout the world. Data covering the longest time span are often reported from European populations. For example, in Norway and Denmark the age at menarche has fallen rapidly since the 19th century, by up to 12 months per decade. These changes have broadly paralleled increases in adult height in most European countries over the last century, with rates of around 10-30mm per decade. These secular trends are influenced by background ethnic, geographical and socio-economic factors, and clearly nutritional changes have an important role as reflected by positive correlations between age at puberty onset or age at menarche and childhood body size. Changes in height, pubertal maturation, and childhood body size have all also been related to rate of weight gain in infancy, and there is growing evidence to suggest that this early postnatal period may represent an early window of susceptibility to long-term 'programming' of various outcomes in humans. There is debate as to whether the secular trends in pubertal maturation are continuing or have reached their limit. Even where temporal changes are overall clearly significant, they are most marked in the more nutritionally deprived sub-groups. Whether over-nutrition and increasing childhood obesity will continue to lead earlier puberty is uncertain. The confirmation of an estimated advance in the age at menarche of 6-12 months per 100 years will require a long-term perspective on behalf of current investigators, and new consideration of methodological approaches in an age of increasing recognition of children's rights for privacy.
Topics: Adolescent; Age Distribution; Biological Clocks; Body Size; Demography; Europe; Female; History, 21st Century; Humans; Male; Menarche; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Puberty; Reproduction; Social Change
PubMed: 16757103
DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2006.04.018 -
Journal of Neurosurgery Nov 1948
Topics: Humans; Puberty; Puberty, Precocious; Sexual Maturation
PubMed: 18103784
DOI: 10.3171/jns.1948.5.6.0541 -
Annales de Biologie Clinique 1997Puberty corresponds to the development of gonads and secondary sexual characteristics, and on a biological point of view, to the functional maturation of the gonadal...
Puberty corresponds to the development of gonads and secondary sexual characteristics, and on a biological point of view, to the functional maturation of the gonadal axis. Puberty begins at the age of 11.5 to 12 years in males and 10.5 to 11 years in females. Depending on secondary sexual characteristics, particularly pubic pilosity, puberty is classified in five stages (Tanner's stages). During puberty growth velocity increases in response to gonadal steroid secretion. From a biochemical point of view, three steps are involved in the development of the hypothalamo-hypophysogonadal axis: 1. nocturnal hypothalamic GnRH secretion increases and becomes pulsatile (a peak every 60 to 90 min); 2. the pituitary gonadotrophins FSH and LH follow the same pattern of secretion as GnRH; increase of GnRH and FSH/LH secretion is due to a decrease in hypothalamo-hypophysal sensitivity to the negative feed back exerted by circulating gonadal steroids; 3. secretion of estradiol in females and testosterone in males increases, as a consequence of pituitary stimulation. Hormonal exploration of puberty is mainly based on the measurement of FSH-LH and testosterone or estradiol. SDHA is also measured to investigate adrenal androgen secretion, which increases three or four years before puberty; this is related to the maturation of adrenal androgenic function (adrenarche). Dynamic tests are used to evaluate the biological stage of puberty (LH-RH test) and to measure the functional capacity of the testes. Pubertal abnormalities can theoretically be divided into precocious and delayed puberty. In the former, clinical and biological characteristics are used to define: dissociated puberties, central precocious puberty and peripheral precocious puberty. In the latter, hypogonadism has either a central origin (hypogonadotropic hypogonadism) or peripheral origin (hypergonadotropic hypogonadism).
Topics: Child; Endocrine Glands; Estradiol; Female; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; Gonadotropins; Humans; Male; Puberty; Puberty, Delayed; Puberty, Precocious; Testosterone
PubMed: 9347009
DOI: No ID Found -
Seishin Shinkeigaku Zasshi =... 2017Some children who have had gender dysphoria since early childhood experience distress at the first signs of their secondary sex characteristics. This might have a strong...
Some children who have had gender dysphoria since early childhood experience distress at the first signs of their secondary sex characteristics. This might have a strong negative effect on their emotional and social functioning as well as on their school lives. Physical inter- vention should be considered for such adolescents ; however, gender identity can also fluctuate during that period. Therefore, it is difficult to use cross-sex hormone therapy as a way to mas- culinize or feminize the body for early adolescents, because such hormones have partially irre- versible effects. Worldwide, puberty suppression therapy is recommended for such pubescent children, as it is recognized as reversible physical intervention. For puberty suppression, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa), which stop luteinizing hormone secretion, are used. This consequently stops the secretion of testosterone in genetically male patients and production of estrogens and progesterone in genetically female patients ; as a result, the physi- cal changes of puberty are delayed. When GnRHa is stopped, the progress of puberty restarts. This therapy is also mentioned in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Guidelines for Patients with Gender Identity Disorder (The Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurol- ogy). According to those guidelines, we can use this therapy for early adolescents after they have reached Tanner Stage 2. Although this intervention is new to Japan, there is some evi- dence from other countries supporting such applications. Furthermore, in Japan, pediatric endocrinologists have used GnRHa for young patients with precocious puberty for a long period of time, and this has proved the safety of this treatment for children. More experience and data in this area are needed. Furthermore, we have to establish closer cooperation with child mental health specialists, such as pediatric psychiatrists, school counselors, and teachers, so that proper treatment may begin at the right time for more patients. Psychotherapy or psy- chosocial support, on its own, is sometimes not enough to reduce the physical dysphoria of transgender patients, and the innate sex steroids also have irreversible effects on gender dys- phoric children. When we decide not to intervene in cases of gender dysphoric children with hormonal treatments including puberty suppression, we are actually deciding to intervene by leaving them with their inherent hormones. We have to be conscious of the fact that"withhold- ing puberty suppression and subsequent feminizing or masculinizing hormone therapy is not a neutral option for adolescents (Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender-Nonconforming People, Version 7)."
Topics: Adolescent; Gender Dysphoria; Humans; Puberty; Sexual Maturation
PubMed: 30629867
DOI: No ID Found -
Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology Sep 2020Onset of puberty, as defined by breast stage 2, appears to be starting at younger ages since the 1940s. There is an ongoing controversy regarding what is normative, as... (Review)
Review
Onset of puberty, as defined by breast stage 2, appears to be starting at younger ages since the 1940s. There is an ongoing controversy regarding what is normative, as well as what is normal, and the evaluation that is deemed necessary for girls maturing before 8 years of age. There are potential implications of earlier pubertal timing, including psychosocial consequences during adolescence, as well as longer term risks, such as breast cancer and cardiometabolic risks. There are additional consequences derived from slower pubertal tempo, for age of menarche has not decreased as much as age of breast development; these include longer interval between sexual initiation and intentional childbearing, as well as a broadened window of susceptibility to endocrine-related cancers.
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Development; Body Mass Index; Breast; Breast Neoplasms; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Child; Female; Humans; Menarche; Psychology; Puberty; Puberty, Precocious; Sexual Maturation
PubMed: 32482957
DOI: 10.1097/GRF.0000000000000537 -
Nature Feb 2018
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adolescent Development; Adolescent Health; Adult; Behavioral Research; Child; Developing Countries; Humans; Puberty; Young Adult
PubMed: 29469114
DOI: 10.1038/d41586-018-02168-x -
Social Science & Medicine (1982) Aug 2020Early puberty is a risk factor for adult diseases and biomedical and psychosocial research implicate growth (in height and weight) and stress as modifiable drivers of...
Early puberty is a risk factor for adult diseases and biomedical and psychosocial research implicate growth (in height and weight) and stress as modifiable drivers of early puberty. Seldom have studies examined these drivers simultaneously or concurrently using quantitative and qualitative methods. Within the context of migration, we used mixed-methods to compare growth, stress and puberty in a study of 488 girls, aged 5-16, who were either Bangladeshi, first-generation migrant to the UK, second-generation migrant, or white British (conducted between 2009 and 2011). Using a biocultural framework, we asked the questions: 1) Does migration accelerate pubertal processes? 2) What biocultural markers are associated with migration? 3) What biocultural markers are associated with puberty? Girls self-reported pubertal stage, recalled 24-h dietary intake, and answered questions relating to dress, food, and ethnic identity. We collected anthropometrics and assayed saliva specimens for dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) to assess adrenarcheal status. Our findings demonstrate that first-generation migrants had earlier puberty than second-generation migrants and Bangladeshi girls. British style of dress did not increase with migration, while dietary choices did, which were reflected in increasing body mass index. However, the widely-used phrase, "I'm proud of my religion, but not my culture" demonstrated that ethnic identity was aligned more with Islamic religion than 'Bangladeshi culture.' This was epitomized by wearing the hijab, but denial of eating rice. The social correlates of puberty, such as 'practicing' wearing the hijab and becoming 'dedicated to the scarf,' occurred at the same ages as adrenarche and menarche, respectively, among first-generation girls. We suggest that the rejection of 'Bangladeshi culture' might be a source of psychosocial stress for first-generation girls, and this may explain elevated DHEA-S levels and early puberty compared to their second-generation counterparts. Our results support a biocultural model of adolescence, a period for biological embedding of culture, when biological and psychosocial factors adjust developmental timing with potential positive and negative implications for long-term health.
Topics: Adolescent; Adrenarche; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Menarche; Puberty; Puberty, Precocious; White People
PubMed: 32504913
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113058