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Puberty
When does puberty occur? What causes the changes that occur during puberty?
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When does puberty occur?
- Puberty usually begins between about 8–13 years in girls and 9–14 years in boys. Individual timing varies widely; girls typically start and finish earlier than boys. Common milestones: breast budding in girls and testicular enlargement in boys are early signs; the growth spurt, development of pubic/axillary hair, and eventual ability to reproduce follow.
What causes the changes that occur during puberty?
- Puberty is driven by activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis:
- The hypothalamus begins to release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in a pulsatile pattern.
- GnRH stimulates the pituitary to secrete luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
- LH and FSH act on the ovaries or testes to produce sex steroids (estrogens in girls, testosterone in boys), which cause breast and genital development, growth spurts, and other secondary sexual characteristics.
- Adrenarche (increased adrenal androgen production, e.g., DHEA) contributes to pubic and axillary hair and body odor.
- Timing is influenced by genetics, nutrition and body fat (leptin plays a permissive role), general health, and environmental factors.
- Puberty usually begins between about 8–13 years in girls and 9–14 years in boys. Individual timing varies widely; girls typically start and finish earlier than boys. Common milestones: breast budding in girls and testicular enlargement in boys are early signs; the growth spurt, development of pubic/axillary hair, and eventual ability to reproduce follow.
What causes the changes that occur during puberty?
- Puberty is driven by activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis:
- The hypothalamus begins to release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in a pulsatile pattern.
- GnRH stimulates the pituitary to secrete luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
- LH and FSH act on the ovaries or testes to produce sex steroids (estrogens in girls, testosterone in boys), which cause breast and genital development, growth spurts, and other secondary sexual characteristics.
- Adrenarche (increased adrenal androgen production, e.g., DHEA) contributes to pubic and axillary hair and body odor.
- Timing is influenced by genetics, nutrition and body fat (leptin plays a permissive role), general health, and environmental factors.
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