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Puberty: Mind and Body
Author(s) -
Ebling Fran
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of neuroendocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1365-2826
pISSN - 0953-8194
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2826.2003.01018.x
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , fertility , hormone , sex steroid , obesity , ovary , biology , sexual maturity , testosterone (patch) , steroid , population , environmental health
Summary Puberty is the attainment of fertility − the ability to reproduce. It occurs because our brains begin to secrete one key hormone, gonadotropin‐releasing hormone. This causes the pituitary gland to induce maturation of the testis and the ovary, which then produce sex steroid hormones and mature sperm and eggs. We should be concerned that the age at which puberty begins is decreasing in many countries. Puberty starts when adequate growth and energy storage has occurred, so the earlier age of puberty may reflect recent increases in adolescent obesity resulting from more sedentary lifestyles.