Lecture 27: Puberty Flashcards
Describe the characterisitics of Puberty
- Growth and maturation of p_rimary sexual characteristics_ (gonads and genitals).
- Appearance and maturation of s_econdary sexual characteristics_
- Adolescent growth spurt occurs
- Fertility is achieved
- Profound psychological effects are observed!
These changes result directly or indirectly from
- Maturation of the hypothalamic-pit gonadotropin unit
- Stimulation of the sex organs
- Secretion of sex steroids
Puberty changes result directly or indirectly from
- Maturation of the hypothalamic-pit gonadotropin unit
- Stimulation of the sex organs
- Secretion of sex steroids
What are the first signs of Puberty in Girls and Boys?
1) Breast development
2) Grwoth spurt
1) Increasd testicular enlargement
2) >3ml (orchidometer)
3) Growth spurt later
When do the different puberties occur?
Axis wakes up 3 times.
1) Fetal life
2) First few months of life
3) In Adolescence
Puberty is expected to be suppressed - active (Gonadostatin?)
If a girl is less than ____ years old, it is considered to be early
8 (although this is early)
What is the word for “breast development”?
Thelarche
What is the ord for “pubic hair development”
Pubarche
What is the word for “Gonadal development”
Gonadarche
What is the word for “First menstual period”
Menarche
What is the word for “breast development in boys”
Describe the STAGES of Gential Development in boys
Stage 1:
No development
Stage 2:
1) Scrotum becomes a bit bigger
2) Testes become bigger
3) Scrotal skin becomes thinner
Stage 3
1) Penis starts to enlarge
Stage 4
1) Scrotum becomes a bit darker
Stage 5
ADULT
Describe the stages of Pubic Hair Development (Boys)
Stage 1: No pubic hair at all
Stage 2: Just become more coarse than normal hair
Stage 3: Longer and curlier
Stage 4: Lifted and widened
Stage 5: Lots of pubic hair
Describe the Tanner Stages of breast development
(Mostly describing the areola not the size of the breast)
Stage 1: No development
Stage 2: Earliest- breast bud
Stage 4: Areola lifts up from the breast
Stage 5: Comes down again
Puberty is driven by…
_________ more specifically, ___________ nucleus
HPA axis
Median preoptic nucleus in the hypothalamus
Describe the HPA feedback loops in girls
1) The hypothalamus makes GnRH which travels down to the gonadtroph cell in the anterior pituitary
2) Gonadotroph cell produces FSH and LH
3) LH binds to receptors in the Theca cells which are in the stroma of the ovary. These theca cells make androgens in response (e.g. testosterone)
4) FSH triggers the granulosa cells to aromatase testosterone to estradiol
- also produce progesterone (negatively feedback on the hypothalamus and pit)
- also produce inhibin which feeds back and inhibits the production of FSH and LH (just pit)