Week 3.1

Question 1

What is puberty?

Answer 1

• When an individual becomes capable of sexual reproduction; physical changes between childhood and adulthood.

Question 2

What are the 3 key physical signs of puberty?

Answer 2

✽ Rapid acceleration in growth.
- Changes in height and weight.

✽ Development of primary sex characteristics.
- Further development of gonads → hormonal changes.

✽ Development of secondary sex characteristics.

Question 3

Definition: Gender Expansive Children

Answer 3

• Gender Expansive Children; comfortable with the sex they were assigned at birth, though they don’t conform to stereotypes.

Question 4

The Endocrine System is responsible for what?

Answer 4

• Produces, circulates and regulates hormones.

- Receives instructions from the CNS.

Question 5

What do gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons (GnRH) do?

Answer 5

• Regulates the endocrine system at neural level.

Question 6

What does the hypothalamus do?

Answer 6

• Controls pituitary gland.

- Concentration of GnRH neurons.

Question 7

What does the pituitary gland do?

Answer 7

• Controls hormone levels.

- All hormones, not just sex.

Question 8

What does the lutenizing hormone (LH) do in females and males?

Answer 8

• Female: triggers ovulation.

- Male: stimulates production of testosterone.

Question 9

What does the follicle stimulation hormone (FSH) do in females and males?

Answer 9

• Female: stimulate growth of ovarian follicle.

- Male: stimulates production of sperm.

Question 10

What do gonads do?

Answer 10

• Glands that secrete sex hormones.
  
  • Female: ovaries, produces estrogen.
  • Male: testes, produces testosterone.

Question 11

Do both sexes produce androgens (testosterone) and estrogen?

Answer 11

Yes, amount varies per sex.

Question 12

What does testosterone do in males and females?

Answer 12

Males;

• Puberty.
• Sperm creation.
• Muscle and bone strength.
• Sex drive.

Females;

• Hormonal level maintenance.
• Blood cell creation.
• Muscle and bone strength.
• Sex drive and fertility.

Question 13

What does estrogen do in males and females?

Answer 13

Males;

• Maturation of the sperm.
• Sex drive.

Females;

• Breast development.
• Growth of uterine lining.
• Regulation of menstrual cycle.

Question 14

What is the HPG Axis? What does it do?

Answer 14

• Consists; hypothalamus, pineal gland, gonads.
• Regulates hormones to optimal level.
• When hormones fall too low;
  
  • Hypothalamus stops inhibiting pituitary gland.
  • Pituitary gland stimulates the release of sex hormones by gonads.
  • Once optimal level is reached, hypothalamus begins inhibition again.

Question 15

What is adrenarche?

Answer 15

• Maturation of the adrenal glands.

- Affects response to stress.

Question 16

How does the HPG Axis activate?

Answer 16

Kisspeptin is the hormone in the brain that triggers puberty.
With more leptin, or less melatonin, puberty starts earlier.

Question 17

Start of puberty in different circumstances:

Answer 17

• Children living closer to equator / light exposure;
  Lower melatonin → less suppression of kisspeptin → earlier start.
• Children with greater exposure to artificial light;
  Suppression of melatonin → less melatonin, less suppression of kisspeptin → earlier start.
• Children with more fat cells;
  More leptin → more stimulation of kisspeptin → earlier start.

Question 18

Sexual maturation is described as what?

Answer 18

The development of secondary sex characteristics.