Lecture 26 Flashcards
How is puberty characterized as?
Reproductive organs Secondary sex characteristics Body size and shape Relative proportions of muscle, fat and bone Various physiological functions
What is puberty refered to as?
Before: pubic hair
Now: Period of time when prostate, testes and seminal vesicles or uterus and vagina enlarge
Puberty is when the child’s…
Gonadostat is reset
What forms the gonadostat?
Hypothalamus, pituitary, gonad
How is the sequence of events in puberty between sexes?
Similar but the start and stop of each feature varies dramatically
What is the difference between puberty and adolescence?
Puberty: Physical changes
Adolescence: Psychological and behavioral changes
- often used as synonyms
How are distance curves used to measure the growth seen at puberty?
Total height
How are velocity curves used to measure the growth seen at puberty?
Rate of growth
How can there be differences of the changes during puberty over generations?
e.g. due to better nutrition or due to pathology or be for no apparent reason
What is precocious puberty?
e.g. pubic hair before 6-8 years in girls, and before 9 in boys
What are causes of precocious puberty?
Tumors in pituitary (GH or GnRH)
Meningitis
Thyroid or gonadal disorder
Inherited
How is delayed puberty defined as in boys?
No pubic hair by age 15
No sign of descended testes by age 14
More than 5 years since start of puberty but not completed
How is delayed puberty defined as in girls?
No pubic hair by age 14
No sign of breast development by age 14
No menarche by age 16
More than 5 years since start of puberty but not completed
What are possible causes of delay?
GPR 54 gene (triggers hormonal cascade) - inherited
Chronic illnesses e.g. Type 1 diabetes, cystic fibrosis
Eating disorders e.g. undereating
Overexercising
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
Tumors/metabolic disorders e.g. Thyroid insufficiency
Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome
