Puberty and its disorders Flashcards
what is puberty
transition from non-reproductive to reproductive state and is where secondary sexual characteristics develop
what happens during puberty
- HPGA is activated
- The adolescent growth spurt
- Profound physiological changes (hormone increases)
- Profound psychological changes
- The gonads produce mature gametes
what are the two major endocrine events of puberty
- adrenarche
- Gonadarche
what is adrenarche
Awakening of the adrenal due to maturation of adrenal cortex cells (reticularis), there is secretion of adrenal androgens
-> Results in growth of pubic and axillary hair and the growth spurt
what is gonadarche
- reawakening of HPGA .’. inc LH/FSH
- inc LH stimulates steroid sythesis .’. secondary sexual characteristics
- inc FSH .’. growth of testes, steroid synthesis, folliculogenesis
what happens in adrenarche
- increase in adrenal androgen secretion
- androgens secreted from zona reticularis of the adrenal cortex. (newly developed)
what androgens increase in adrenarche
DHEA (dehydro-epiandrosterone) and DHEAS (dehydro-epiandrosterone sulfate) only without increased cortisol levels
at what age does adrenarche occur
gradual increase in DHEA and DHEAS levels from 6-15 yrs.
peak at 20-25 years.
what is adrenopause
the decline in DHEA/DHEAS after its peak
what is pubarche
development of pubic hair
why does pubarche occur
as a result of adrenarche
why is pubarche associated with ache
- Increased sebum production, often leading to acne
- Infection and abnormal keratinization, also causes acne
what is precocious puberty
early puberty
before 8 in girls or 9 in boys
when does gonadarche occur
several years after adrenarche (typically around 11 years of age)
what is gonadarche
reactivation of the HPG axis, reactivation of hypothalamic GnRH
.’. activated gonadal steroid production
.’. production of viable gametes
.’. ability to reproduce
from which structure is GnRH released
hypothalamus. Pulsatile manner
when is HPGA originally activated
16th gestational week
pulsatile release occuring in foetus until 1-2 years when it ceases
when is HPGA reactivated
11 years in gonadarche
why is LH an indicator of GnRH secretion
pulse of GnRH =pulse of LH
.’. LH levels increase in puberty
what stimulates the onset of puberty
unclear. could be:
- maturation of GnRH sythesising neurones
- environment/genetics
- Body fat/nutrition
- leptin
- Gut hormone
- kisspeptin
what is the effect of low body fat on ability to reproduce
= reduced response to GnRH .’. gonadotrophin .’, amenorrhoea
women lost reproductive ability.
When nourishment occurs or the exercise stops, periods start again.
what % body fat is required for menarche and to maintain female reproduction
menarche - 17%
maintain female reproductive ability - 22%
what is kisspeptin
a neurohormone.
directly regulates GnRH secretion
where does kisspeptin exert is action and what does it do
receptors are on dendrites of GnRH neurones and so directly regulates GnRH secretion.
mutations in GPR54 (kisspeptin receptor) or the gene coding for kisspeptin results in:
- abnormal development of GnRH neurones -> hypogonadism
- failure to enter puberty
- hypothalamic hypogonadism
- Activating mutations of kisspeptin receptor -> precocious puberty
what is meant by consonance of puberty
all changes that occur in puberty occur in the same order (just at different ages)
what is the first change of puberty in females
breast bud formation
what is the first change of puberty in males
testicular volume increases to above 4ml
how many tanner stages of puberty are there
5
first being hasnt entered puberty
last being puberty is complete
how does the first tanner stage of puberty present
(females) no breast tissue
(males) prepubertal genital development
(both) no pubic hair