Exam 1 Flashcards
(216 cards)
What are physical changes that accompany sexual maturation? (rapid growth, development of primary and secondary sex characteristics)?
Puberty
does pubety have heterogeneity (variability) in the age of onset and rate of change?
yes
What system is responsible for jumpstarting puberty & associated biological changes?
the endocrine system
What does the endocrine system specifically do?
produces, circulates, and regulates hormone levels in the body
T/F
All hormones that influence puberty are already present in the body. AKA there are no new hormones activated at puberty
Truuuuuuuuu
What do endocrine glands secrete?
hormones
what does the hormonal feedback look (HPG axis) do?
acts like a thermostat to regulate hormone secretion
(increases or decrease hormones based on set point).
what does the HPG axis stand for?
hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis
when hormones get to a high enough level the __________ will tell it to stop
hypothalamus
at puberty…. which part of the HPG axis becomes less sensitive?
the hypothalamus
the hypothalamus inhibits the ________ unless sex hormone levels fall below a set point
pituitary gland
what hormones is the hypothalamus specifically monitoring
androgrens and estrogens
when signaled by the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland signals the _____ to release more sex hormones
(this maintains the correct set point)
gonads
when signaled by the pituatiry gland the ___________ (testes in males and ovaries in females) release sex hormones
gonads
the increase of what brain chemical stimulates the onset of pubety?
Kisspeptin
Hershey’s kisses.
puberty is stimulated by _______ and supressed by ________
stimulated by LEPTIN and supressed by MELATONIN
How does Leptin stimulate puberty?
- leptin stimulates kisspeptin…
- it lets your brain know how much fat is present in body. (more fat = earlier puberty)
- rising levels of leptin signals hypothalamus to stop inhibiting puberty.
What is the theory on light? (melatonin and kisspeptin)
melatonin supresses kisspeptin. melatonin is lower when its light. it has been theorized that the amount of light that children are exposed to may influence the onset of puberty.
= kids closer to the equator go through puberty faster
= blue light from computers make kids go through puberty earlier.
what is adrenarche?
the maturation of adrenal glands.
–> leads to physical somatic changes
why is puberty an increased time of stress?
the adrenal gland regulates the stress hormone cortisol, so puberty manages our sensitivity to stress.
it makes adolescence more responsive to stress
this is why it’s a period of increased vulnerability to mental health onset.
more cortisol = more vulnerability
study that tried to measure sensitivity to stress increases during puberty
longitudinal study… made people in childhood and adolescents do a public speaking task.
found that cortisol levels differed both WITHIN and BETWEEN individuals.
(meaning that individuals were more stressed, and as a group they were more stressed, than childhood)
What are some contexts that affect the timing of puberty?
- regions of the world
- socioeconomic status
- historical era (secular trend of onset puberty)
- ethnic group
(an example of this is the age of onset for menarche) - differs around the world.
New Guinea = 15
US & Canada = 12
the age of menarche has _______ significantly over the past 150 years, in a __________ trend
DECLINED, SECULAR TREND
what are some reasons why the age of menarche has declined?
synthetic chemicals, better nutrition, better sanitation