Male and Female Pubertal Development

Question 1

What is thelarche?

Answer 1

Onset of breast development, an estrogen effect

Question 2

What is pubarche?

Answer 2

Onset of sexual hair growth, an androgen effect

Question 3

What is menarche?

Answer 3

Onset of menses

Question 4

What is spermarche?

Answer 4

Appearance of sperm in seminal fluid

Question 5

What is gonadarche?

Answer 5

Onset of pubertal function of the gonads

Question 6

What is adrenarche?

Answer 6

Onset of adrenal androgen production

Question 7

What is a better marker for determining when a child will enter puberty: bone age or chronological age?

Answer 7

Bone age

Question 8

What is the role of fat and beginning of puberty?

Answer 8

A critical amount of body fat is the weight-related trigger for pubertal development

Question 9

What is released by fat cells to cause GnRH release?

Answer 9

Leptin

Question 10

What is precocious puberty?

Answer 10

Premature puberty

Question 11

What is considered precocious puberty in females?

Answer 11

Thelarche or pubarche before 8 years of age

Question 12

What is considered precocious puberty in males?

Answer 12

Pubarche or genital development before 9 years of age

Question 13

What race is thelarche normal in girls at age 7?

Answer 13

African American

Mexican American

Question 14

Effect of precocious puberty on height?

Answer 14

Premature closure of epiphyseal plates and short stature despite tall stature in childhood

Question 15

What is premature thelarche usually due to?

Answer 15

Minimal activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis with predominant FSH secretion

Question 16

How is delayed puberty defined in females?

Answer 16

Lack of breast development by age 13

Question 17

How is delayed puberty defined in males?

Answer 17

Lack of pubertal testicular development by age 14

Question 18

What is the state of the HPG axis in childhood?

Answer 18

Dormant

Question 19

What is the HPG axis state in females beginning puberty?

Answer 19

Ovarian secretion of estradiol peaks during the day

Question 20

What is the HPG axis state in males beginning puberty?

Answer 20

Testicular production of testosterone peaks during sleep

Question 21

Estradiol effects on linear growth?

Answer 21

Low level: enhances linear growth

High level: increases rate of epiphyseal fusion

Question 22

What does progesterone cause in breast?

Answer 22

Lobuloalveolar breast development

Question 23

What neurotransmitters are stimulants in puberty?

Answer 23

Kisspeptin
Glutamate
Leptin

Question 24

What neurotransmitters are inhibitors of puberty?

Answer 24

GABA
Neuropeptide Y
TGF-Beta

Question 25

Progression of pubertal development in females?

Answer 25

Thelarche -> Growth Spurt -> Pubarche -> Menarche

Question 26

Progression of pubertal development in males?

Answer 26

Testicular enlargement -> Penile and scrotal growth -> Pubarche -> Growth Spurt

Question 27

What Tanner stage does linear growth occur in males?

Answer 27

3 and 4

Question 28

What does Tanner staging describe?

Answer 28

Breast development in males
External genitalia development in males
Pubic hair development in both

Question 29

Difference in breast Tanner stage III and IV?

Answer 29

III: Enlargement of breast and areola with no separation of areolar contour from breast
IV: Areola and papilla project above breast forming a secondary mound

Question 30

Difference in male genitalia Tanner stage IV and V?

Answer 30

IV: Pubic hair is only on mons pubis
V: Pubic hair on thighs and up abdomen

Question 31

What hormones are primarily responsible for linear growth?

Answer 31

GH and Testosterone

Question 32

What hormones is primarily responsible for stopping linear growth?

Answer 32

Estrogen

Question 33

What Tanner stage does linear growth start in females?

Answer 33

Stage 2

Question 34

What is constitutional delay of puberty?

Answer 34

Late bloomers that has a family history of late bloomers