Endocrinology in Preadolescents and Adolescents

Abstract

\s=b\Hormonal changes during puberty have been well described: rise of gonadotropins followed by the rise of gonadal secretions at ages 10 to 16 years. The most striking new data are in fact concerning events that occur before puberty, first during the first months of life, second at age 7 years. The first event consists of a rise of gonadal steroids, which gives a hormonal imprint that might be important for the future of the child.The second event concerns the prepubertal maturation of the androgenic zone of the adrenal cortex and the increasing secretion with age of the adrenal androgens. The mechanism of onset of both events is poorly explained. What causes the rise of gonadal steroids during infancy is unknown. Which pituitary factor, in addition to ACTH, stimulates the cortico\x=req-\ adrenal androgenic zone, and which mechanism regulates its secretion remain unknown.(Am J Dis Child 132: [704][705][706][707][708][709][710][711][712] 1978) Puberty is the period, within the larger developmental segment of life called adolescence, during which many changes of somatic growth,

Significant differences in natural killer cell activity in children according to age and sex.

“…Estrogen is also one of the cAMP elevating agents and the hormone may act as a suppressive agent of NK cell activity (Roller and Klein, 1979). The estrogen level increases after approximately 11 years of age in females, but in males there is no increase during puberty (Sizonenko, 1978). Our present data seem to be compatible with those physiological conditions based on sex.…”

Plasma Concentrations of Vitamin D Metabolites in Puberty: Effect of Sexual Maturation and Implications for Growth*

“…Estrogen and/or other sex steroids might be involved in triggering the increase in 1,25-(OH) 2 D formation at the onset of puberty, but since estrogen and testosterone continue to rise throughout all stages of puberty (8,34,35), the secretion pattern of these sex steroids could not account for the decline in the plasma level of 1,25-(OH) 2 D between puberty stages 3-5. PRL has been shown to stimulate 1,25-(OH) 2 D production in chicks (36) and Japanese quails (37), and elevated PRL levels have been suggested to be involved in the enhanced formation of 1,25-(OH^D during human pregnancy and lactation (38,39). In boys, the serum PRL levels do not change with adolescence, whereas girls show an increase to adult female levels at the end of puberty, probably in relation to menarche (40).…”

Pauvreté des liens d’attachement et déficiences dans les rapports intimes chez les agresseurs sexuels

“…C'est la période où le jeune homme doit déplacer ses attachements de ses parents vers ses pairs (Weiss, 1982) en même temps il subit des changements hormonaux radicaux qui suscitent chez lui des besoins agressifs et sexuels (Sizonenko, 1978). Des liens d'attachements insuffisants à l'enfance ne fourniront pas à l'adolescent l'équipement nécessaire pour traverser avec succès la période difficile de la puberté.…”