Chapter 1

Question 1

endocrine system

Answer 1

the system of the body that produces, circulates, and regulates hormones

Question 2

hormones

Answer 2

highly specialized substances secreted by one or more endocrine glands

Question 3

glands

Answer 3

organs that stimulate particular parts of the body to respond in specific ways to particular hormones

Question 4

gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons

Answer 4

specialized neurons that are activated by certain pubertal hormones

Question 5

set point

Answer 5

a physiological level or setting (e.g. of a specific hormone) that the body attempts to maintain through a self-regulating system

Question 6

feedback loop

Answer 6

a cycle through which two or more bodily functions respond to and regulate each other, such as that formed by the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the gonads

Question 7

pituitary gland

Answer 7

one of the chief glands responsible for regulating levels of hormones in the body

Question 8

hypothalamus

Answer 8

a part of the brain that controls the functioning of the pituitary gland

Question 9

gonads

Answer 9

the glands that secrete sex hormones: in males, the testes; in females, the ovaries

Question 10

androgens

Answer 10

a class of sex hormones secreted by the gonads, found in both sexes but in higher levels among males than females following puberty

Question 11

estrogens

Answer 11

a class of sex hormones secreted by the gonads, found in both sexes but in higher levels among females than males following puberty

Question 12

adrenarche

Answer 12

the maturation of the adrenal glands that takes place during adolescence

Question 13

cortisol

Answer 13

a hormone produced when a person is exposed to stress

Question 14

kisspeptin

Answer 14

a brain chemical believed to trigger the onset of puberty

Question 15

leptin

Answer 15

a protein produced by the fat cells that may play a role in the onset of puberty through its impact on kisspeptin

Question 16

melatonin

Answer 16

a hormone secreted by the brain that contributes to sleepiness and that triggers the onset of puberty through its impact on kisspeptin

Question 17

adolescent growth spurt

Answer 17

the dramatic increase in height and weight that occurs during puberty

Question 18

epiphysis

Answer 18

the closing of the ends of the bones, which terminates growth after the adolescent growth spurt has been completed

Question 19

secondary sex characteristics

Answer 19

the manifestations of sexual maturity at puberty, including the development of breasts, the growth of facial and body hair, and changes in the voice

Question 20

tanner stages

Answer 20

a widely used system that describes the five stages of pubertal development

Question 21

menarche

Answer 21

the time of first menstruation, one of the most important changes to occur among females during puberty

Question 22

pheromones

Answer 22

a class of chemicals secreted by animals that stimulate certain behaviors in other members of the species

Question 23

secular trend

Answer 23

the tendency, over the past two centuries, for individuals to be larger in stature and to reach puberty earlier, primarily because of improvements in health and nutrition

Question 24

cross-sectional study

Answer 24

a study that compares two or more groups of individuals at one point in time

Question 25

longitudinal study

Answer 25

a study that follows the same group of individuals over time

Question 26

plasticity

Answer 26

the capacity of the brain to change in response to experience

Question 27

delayed phase preference

Answer 27

a pattern of sleep characterized by later sleep and wake times, which usually emerges during puberty

Question 28

basal metabolism rate

Answer 28

the minimal amount of energy used by the body during a resting state

Question 29

body mass index (BMI)

Answer 29

a measure of an individual's body fat, the ratio of weight to height; used to gauge overweight and obesity

Question 30

disordered eating

Answer 30

mild, moderate, or severe disturbance in eating habits and attitudes

Question 31

anorexia nervosa

Answer 31

an eating disorder found chiefly among young women, characterized by dramatic and severe self-induced weight loss

Question 32

bulimia

Answer 32

an eating disorder found primarily among young women, characterized by a pattern of binge eating and extreme weight-loss measures, including self-induced vomiting

Question 33

binge eating disorder

Answer 33

an eating disorder characterized by a pattern of binge eating that is not accompanied by drastic attempts to lose weight