Exam 3 Chapter 14 Book Flashcards
what is puberty?
the years of physical growth and sexual maturation that end childhood and produce a person of adult size, shape, and internal changes
including heightened emotions and sexual desires
when do the visible signs of puberty usually begin?
9-15
what are some of the reasons the age of puberty has decreased over the years?
nutrition or increased stress
what is the sequence of puberty in girls?
- nipple growth
- few pubic hairs
- peak growth spurt
- hips widen
- first menstrual period
- full pubic hair
- breast maturation
what is the official term for the first menstrual period?
menarche
what is the average age of menarche>
12
what is the sequence of puberty in boys?
- growth of the testes
- initial pubic hair growth
- growth of the penis
- firs ejaculation (Spermarche)
- appearance of facial hair
- peak growth spurt
- deepening of the voice
- final pubic hair growth
what is the term for the first ejaculation
spermarche
what is the invisible event that begins puberty?
the increase of hormones
what is the process for homone production?
hypothalamus—pituitary gland (produces hormones that stimulate the…) adrenal gland
what is the HPA axis?
(hypothalmus-pituitary-adrenal)
the route that hormones regulate puberty through
boys have higher levels of this hormone than girls in childhood, but girls catch up when?
cortisol, girls catch up during puberty
what is leptin?
affects body fat and puberty onset
what is leptin needed for? what does too much cause?
appetite, energy, and pregnancy
too much correlates with obesity, early puberty, and early termination of growth
what are the gonads?
sex glands (ovaries in females, and testes in males)
what is the HPG axis?
the sequence of hormone production originating in the hypothalamus and moving to the pituitary and then to the gonads
(hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad)
the biological sequence of puberty
look at picture on page 343 of text book
hypothalamus produces hormones that set of the pituitary which activates the adrenal glands AND the gonads. These cause increases in many hormones like estrogen and testosterone. With the ultimate outcomes being the development of primary and secondary sex characteristics and a growth spurt.
what hormone causes the gonads to enlarge and increase production of sex hormones?
GnRH (gonadotropin-relating hormone)
when is peak fertility?
4-6 years after conception becomes possible
adolescence(specifically early puberty) is the peak time for what> and why?
the emergence of psychological disorders
the rush of hormones push vulnerable children over the edge
males are twice as likely to develop what disorder than females. Females are more than twice as likely to develop what disorder than males?
males-schizophrenia
females-major depression
what is a major psychological effect of estrogens and testoserone?
new interest in sexual partners
what is an example of how brain, body, and behavior all interact during puberty?
adult reactions to emerging breasts or beads evoke adolescent reactions and frustrations, which then raise hormone levels, propel physiological development, and trigger outbursts. Because of hormones, emotions are likely to be expressed during adolescence (yelling and sobbing) which escalates everyone’s hormones
what is the circadian rhythm and how does it change during puberty
the day-night cycle of biological activity that occurs approximately every 24 hours.
during puberty the night may be more energizing, which makes some teens wide awake and hungry at midnight but half asleep with no appetite in the morning
some individuals are also more naturally alert in the evening (eveningness) especially maes
puberty plus eveningness increases what kinds of risks?
drugs, sex, and delinquency
summarize the baltimore curfew and how it relates to sleep during puberty (adolescence)
with the fear of adolescents getting into trouble while they are up all night, Baltimore put in a curfew for young people. These fight adolescent sleep rythyms and has increased arrests among adolescents rather than improve them
how do school schedules conflict with adolescent sleep schedules and what are some of the effects?
the early start times and academic load of school make getting 8 hours of sleep almost impossible for students.
Sleep deprivation and irregular sleep schedules increase insomnia, nightmares, mood disorders (depression, conduct disorder, and anxiety) andn falling asleep while driving
what does brain growth look like during puberty?
-the prefrontal cortex matures steadily over the lifespan
-the limbic system is affective more by hormones, thus the limbic system is very active during adolescence and the prefrontal cortex isn’t developed enough to handle it
-pubertal hormones directly target the amygdala
emotional control is not fully developed until…why?
adulthood, the prefrontal cortex is less connected to the limbic system
when other teens are watching, adolescents are more likely to…
take dramatic risks for the sake of social acclaim
what are the two key insights of brain development during adolescent growth?
- physiological changes during puberty can be dramatic
- the social context matters as the body and brain respond to hormones and also friends and family
what are the factors that predict puberty onset?
genes, sex, body fat, chemical exposure, and stress level
how do genes and gender impact puberty?
Gender:
-girls have their growth spurt before boys (by 2 years)
-gender changes sequence of puberty (females height increase before menarche, male height increase after spermarche)
Genes:
-2/3 of age variation of onset puberty is genetic
how does body fat impact puberty?
-causes earlier puberty in girls, because to sustain a pregnancy more fat is needed
-causes slower puberty onset in boys because body fat slows down the expression of testosterone
how does chemical exposure effect puberty?
-hormones or chemicals in the food supply may be causing precocious or delayed puberty through affecting appetite, body fat, ad sex hormones
-pesticides interact with hormones that trigger onset of puberty or delay it
how does stress level impact puberty?
-parental divorce, substance abuse issues, and or violent or underserved neighborhoods may cause the early onset of puberty
-girls who had been sexually abused began puberty as much as a year earlier
at what age do genes become more influential in puberty than sex?
15
what is the role of food in onset of puberty
-food can speed up puberty due to adequate nutrition, but it can also cause obesity which speeds it up further
what is the link between tylenol and puberty?
girls whose mothers too tylenol while pregnant went through puberty 2 months earlier but puberty was not affected in males
why is early puberty problematic for society?
early puberty is linked to teenage pregnancy and adult health problems like breast cancer, diabetes, and stroke
what is the definition of the growth spurt?
a sudden and uneven jump in size that turns children into adults
what is the sequence of growth in the body during the growth spurt?
growth starts in the extremities and then moves to the core
opposite of proximodistal
how do girls and boys differ in terms of body fat by the end of puberty?
girls have twice as much body fat than boys by the end of puberty
what is the sequence of height, weight and muscle growth during puberty?
children gain weight first, then grow height wise and then begin to develop muscles
summary of organ growth in puberty
-lungs triple in weight (allowing for better aerobic performance)
-the heart doubles in size (endurance improves)
-internal organs are the last thing to grow during puberty
what are the changes to the lymphoid system during puberty? (lymph nodes and adenoids)
-decreases in size
-makes teenagers less susceptible to respiratory ailments
-growth of the larynx which deepens voice (especially in boys)
changes to the skin during puberty
becomes oilier, sweatier, and smellier, more prone to acne
changes to hair during puberty
becomes coarser and darker, new hair under arms, on faces, and on genitals
iron deficiency during puberty
-girls 12-18 have the highest rates of iron deficiency
-reduction in energy and undercut to learning
-menstruation depletes iron
-boys can also be iron deficient if they engage in physical labor or intensive sports
calcium deficiency during puberty
-can cause the development of osteoporosis
-caused by a decline in milk drinking
lifespan consequences of puberty?
-puberty is a prime time for bone building and strengthening
-osteoporosis is a leading cause of injury and death after age 50
-obesity is an epidemic today (taking drugs to lose weight or steroids to increase muscle mass)
-eating disorders increase dramatically during puberty and can carry unhealthy eating habits into adulthood
sexual intercourse rates over the past two decades have been
declining
why? maybe sex education, fear of HIV and AIDS, awareness of pregnancy hazards, more female education, less intimacy
why are teens having sex earlier, and what are the issues with this?
- puberty occurs earlier than it used to
- restrictive laws in the us surrounding contraception and abortion means more unwanted births in teens having sex earlier
- if a teen has a baby she had fewer helpers
- STI’s are increasing year over year
child sexual abuse and its impacts
-rates of sexual abuse increase at puberty
-every adolescent hazard is more likely if they are sexually abused
-most sexual abuse occurs at home and leads to social isolation
-transmission of STI’s
