Puberty

Question 1

What is the endocrine system?

Answer 1

The system in charge of creating and releasing hormones to maintain countless bodily functions

Question 2

Which part of the brain controls the endocrine system?

Answer 2

Hypothalamus

Question 3

What is the pituitary gland, and what does it control?

Answer 3

It is the ‘master gland’ in the brain, controlling gonads in all bodies

Question 4

What are AFAB and AMAB gonads called?

Answer 4

Ovaries & testes, respectively

Question 5

Gonads produce _____ hormones

Answer 5

sex

Question 6

The two types of sex hormones are ____ and ____

Answer 6

estrogen and androgen

Question 7

What is the HPG Axis?

Answer 7

It is a feedback loop involving hypothalamus, pituitary, gonads (HPG) that controls a wide variety of hormonal functions within the body

Question 8

T/F: The hypothalamus monitors levels of sex hormones

Answer 8

True

Question 9

T/F: In puberty, there is a set point for hormones to rise

Answer 9

True

Question 10

Increased hormones initiate __________________

Answer 10

Physical and sexual development

Question 11

T/F: Estradiol and testosterone decrease during puberty for both boys and girls

Answer 11

False. It increases for both.

Question 12

Testosterone rises to roughly ____ times its level before puberty in boys

Answer 12

20

Question 13

During puberty, estradiol increases ______ times in girls and ______ in boys.

Answer 13

eight, doubles

Question 14

At approximately what age do growth spurts start and stop for girls?

Answer 14

10, 16

Question 15

At approximately what age do growth spurts start and stop for boys?

Answer 15

12, 18

Question 16

What is Asynchronicity in the context of puberty?

Answer 16

Body parts developing at different rates

Question 17

The average age of menarche (first period) in Canada is ___

Answer 17

12.7

Question 18

T/F - the age of menarche is increasing globally.

Answer 18

False, it is decreasing quite rapidly

Question 19

Early menarche timing can be caused by…

Answer 19

• Good nutrition and general health
• Higher-conflict homes
• Physical or sexual abuse
• Economic-instability, parental unemployment, lower incomes
• Single-parent families
• Absent Fathers or the presence of a Stepfather (pheromones & evolutionary arguments)

Question 20

Later menarche timing can be caused by…

Answer 20

• Malnutrition or disordered eating
• Intense physical activity including athleticism or physical
  labour (lower body fat, high levels of exertion)
• Early consumption of alcohol (ovary development)
• Invested paternal attention & lower-conflict homes (higher psychological safety)
• Economic stability, higher incomes
• Ongoing exposure to fathers; living with two parents

Question 21

T/F: The labia minora and labia majora will often change in
appearance during puberty.

Answer 21

True

Question 22

What is the semenarche/spermarche?

Answer 22

An AMAB person’s first ejaculation

Question 23

What is the average age of semenarche?

Answer 23

12.5-13.5 years old

Question 24

T/F: Entering puberty early or late has major, lifelong impacts on adolescents

Answer 24

True

Question 25

There are 4 different hypotheses pertaining to puberty. Name them, and provide a brief description.

Answer 25

Deviance hypothesis: being noticeably different is automatically stressful, so early or late experiences are likely negative

Stage Termination Hypothesis: if puberty starts/ends to early, adolescence may be too short or extend into young adulthood

Adult Resemblance Hypothesis: looking like an adult confers adult status and privileges

Hormonal Exposure Hypothesis: some effects may be driven by earlier or later hormonal exposure to the developing brain