Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2007) 14 S18.1

ECE2007 Symposia Puberty and hypogonadism (4 abstracts)

Endocrine disorders of puberty

Marek Niedziela


Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.


Puberty is a process in humans that leads to the development of secondary sexual characteristics and reproductive capabilities. The physical changes of puberty result from two separate and independent but overlapping processes: gonadarche and adrenarche. The activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis plays a key role in gonadarche whereas body weight and body mass index are postulated as triggering the adrenarche. The impairment of this cascade will result in temporary or permanent disorders of reproductive endocrine function. This primarily endocrine process can be disrupted by genetic and environmental factors. The timing of pubertal onset is defined as normal if occurs between the ages of 8 and 13 years in girls and 9 and 14 years in boys. However the controversies concerning the age limit of onset of puberty have been raised. Precocity can be central (GnRH-dependent) or peripheral (GnRH-independent) in its etiology and iso- or heterosexual (consistent or inconsistent with gender). Central precocious puberty in girls is rather idiopathic whereas in boys has predominantly pathologic cause. Peripheral precocious puberty occurs rarely. The most common cause of delayed puberty is constitutional delay of growth and puberty, especially in boys. However the other common etiologies should be considered: 1. Functional hypogonadotropic hypogonadism; 2. Permanent hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and 3. Permanent hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism. The treatment strategy is highly specific for each single disorder. Genetic studies on newly detected factors regulating HPG axis (eg. KiSS-1 and GPR54 as gatekeepers of gonadotropin-releasing hormone release neurons or FGFR1) may improve understanding of normal variation in pubertal timing and provide further directions for treatment.

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