Adolescence and Puberty Flashcards
What is the mean age of onset of puberty in girls and boys?
Girls - 11.2 yrs
Boys - 11.6 yrs
How is puberty instigated hormonally?
By pulsed release of GnRH from specialised nerve cells in the hypothalamus
What bone/bones are the major EXCEPTION in the adolescent growth spurt?
Female pelvis - follows a smooth and continuous growth in size until adulthood
When does the growth spurt start and finish in girls and boys?
Girls: 10 - 18/19 yrs
Boys: 12 - 20/22 yrs
Describe the changes in mineral mass and bone mass in boys and girls during puberty and adolescence.
Mineral mass - same before maturation
Bone mass increases more in boys than girls due to prolonged period of growth in males
For girls, how much bone mass is accumulated between 11-13 years compared to how much is lost after menopause?
EQUAL amount
What are the 5 Tanner’s stages of puberty in girls? (Hint: breast and pubic hair)
1: None (Prepubertal)
2: Areolar enlargement with breast bud/ few darker hair along labia
3: Enlargement of breast and areolar as single mound/. curly pigmented hairs along pubes
4: Projection of areolar above breast as double mound/ small adult config
5: adult breast - single contour/ adult pubic hair
What are the 5 Tanner’s stages of puberty in boys? (Hint: genital maturity and pubic hair)
1: None (testes - 2ml)
2: testes enlarge - 4ml and reddening of scrotum/ few dark hairs at base of penis
3: penis lengthens, testes enlarge - 6-10ml/ curly pigmented hairs across pubes
4: Broadening of glands of penis, testes - 10-15ml/ small adult config (thighs spared)
5: Adult testes - 15-25ml/ adult pubic hair
What is precocious puberty and delayed puberty? Is it more common in girls or boys?
Precocious puberty - before 8yrs in girls and 9.5 yrs in boys (5x common in girls)
Delayed puberty - lack of secondary sexual characteristics by 13 yrs in girls and 14 yrs in boys (more common in boys)
What determines sexual oritentation?
Environmental, emotional, hormonal and biological factors
What happens in the adolescent brain (which part?) before puberty?
Exuberant synaptogenesis
Weaker connects are pruned (cutoff)
Happens mainly in prefrontal cortex
What is synaptic pruning?
Selective pruning
Happens in adolescence
Loses approx 3% of the gray matter in the frontal lobes
Why do teens in mid adolescence take more risks than older adolescents?
The limbic system perceives rewards from risks and kicks into high gear during early adolescence
The frontal lobe matures later - controls impulses and long-term perspectives
Which region of the limibic system is most involved with social recognition?
Amygdala
What are the social developmental tasks that adolescents might go through?
Emotional separation from parents Peer identity - social autonomy Exploratory behaviours Intimate relationships Vocational capabilities/ financial independence
What are the Kohlberg’s moral stages? (mention ages)
Preconventional (up to 9yrs)
Conventional (most adolescents and adults)
Postconventional (0-15% of over 20s)
What are the effects of tobacco and alcohol on the developing of the adolescent brain?
On hippocampus (working memory and learning)
Less sensitive to sedative qualities of alcohol (drinks a lot before crashing)
Nicotine - cell damage worse in hippocampus
What happens to the circadian rhythm and melatonin secretions in adolescence?
Circadian rhythm shifts forwards
Melatonin secretions (trigger sleep) start later at night and turn off later in the morning
Need more sleep (9-10 hrs)
Most are sleep deprived
What does the quality of care-giving in the first 42 months of life affect?
Predicts the quality of romantic relationships in early adulthood
What is the Bilbace and Walsh model?
Explains children’s explanation of illness
E.g. 11-16 yrs (adolescence) = physiological
ilness is caused by malfunctions in organs or systems which may be due to infection
What is the STEP approach?
Simple approach to considering adolescent development in clinical settings S - Sexual maturation and growth T - Thinking E - Education/Employment P - Peers/Parents
What are Tanner’s stages used to assess?
Development of secondary sexual characteristics
