Lecture 2

Question 1

What is puberty

Answer 1

• transition to adulthood
• sexual maturation

Question 2

What are the 3 key characteristics of puberty?

Answer 2

1. Rapid physical growth
2. Changes in primary sex characteristics
3. Development of secondary sex characteristics

Question 3

What is the endocrine system

Answer 3

responsible for the production, circulation and regulation or hormones

Question 4

What are hormones

Answer 4

substances produced by endocrine glands

Question 5

What is the gonadotropin releasing neuron

Answer 5

neurons implicated in pubertal development -> activated by pubertal hormones

Question 6

What is the hormonal feedback loop

Answer 6

• process in which endocrine system regulates hormone levels
• hormonal thermostat
• set points

Question 7

What is the HPG axis

Answer 7

• increasingly important at the start of puberty
• early development of HPG
• 3 primary structures of HPG

Question 8

What is the pituitary gland?

Answer 8

• controls hormone levels

Question 9

What is the hypothalamus

Answer 9

controls pituitary gland and GnRH neurons

Question 10

What are the gonads

Answer 10

• release sex hormones
• testes and ovaries
• androgens and estrogens

Question 11

What is adrenarche?

Answer 11

• maturation of the adrenal glands during adolescence

Question 12

What is physical development of adrenarche

Answer 12

• secretion of hormone that stimulates physical growth

Question 13

What is the stress response of adrenarche

Answer 13

• hormonal changes during puberty promote greater stress responsively
• production of cortisol

Question 14

How does the HPG axis trigger puberty

Answer 14

• HPG axis has a puberty alarm
• early dormancy

Question 15

What are some biological signals linked to pubertal onset

Answer 15

• kisspeptin
• leptin
• melatonin

Question 16

What is kisspeptin

Answer 16

• thought to trigger the start of puberty
• production influenced by both melatonin and leptin

Question 17

What is leptin?

Answer 17

• protein produced by fat cells
• regulates hunger and appetite

Question 18

What is melatonin

Answer 18

• hormone that regulates the sleep cycle
• promotes the sensation of tiredness

Question 19

How does gene, fat and light exposure affect puberty

Answer 19

• pubertal timing primarily dictated by genes
• increase in body fat -> earlier pubertal onset
• increased light exposure -> earlier pubertal onset

Question 20

What is the evolutionary perspective of puberty

Answer 20

Resource Scarcity: Goal-> produce offspring
- optimal fat and resource availability -> signal start of puberty
Influence of Technology: electronics and artificial light
Evolution vs Modern Day: Adaptive Mismatch: evolutionary development = slow

Question 21

How are hormones involved in early brain development

Answer 21

early brain organization -> later behaviour

Question 22

What are prenatal vs pubertal influences

Answer 22

• sex differences in aggression
• the great puberty fallacy

Question 23

What are some changes that occur due to puberty

Answer 23

• increased emotional arousal
• risk/reward

Question 24

What is the adolescent growth spurt

Answer 24

• rapid growth in height and weight during puberty

Question 25

What is peak height velocity

Answer 25

- growth rate is the same as a toddler - Boys grow about 4 inches a year Girls grow 3.5 inches a year

Question 26

What is epiphysis

Answer 26

- closing of ends of bones - marks end of puberty

Question 27

What are Tanner Stages

Answer 27

- sexual maturity rating - classification system to track sexual maturing during puberty - Screening/evaluation done by healthcare workers

Question 28

What are gene-environment influences on pubertal timing

Answer 28

- genetic and environmental influences implicated in differences of pubertal timing

Question 29

How can family affect pubertal timing

Answer 29

family structure and conflict; due to stress

Question 30

How are group differences in maturation

Answer 30

- population differences in rate/timing of puberty likely reflective of environmental differences - comparisons of average age of menarche most informative measure for cross comparison

Question 31

Is early maturation a cause for concern

Answer 31

- average age of puberty continues to decline - sensation seeking behaviours increase

Question 32

How is self regulation impacted by puberty

Answer 32

- brain systems that are involved in self regulation are less impacted by puberty -> timing is not impacted