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3228982 
Book/Book Chapter 
Normal and Abnormal Puberty 
2000 
MDText.com, Inc. 
South Dartmouth (MA) 
Endotext 
English 
25905253 
Puberty is the period of life that leads to adulthood through dramatic physiologic and psychological changes. Clinically, the onset of puberty is announced by the appearance of secondary sex characteristics, in particular the appearance of breast in females, testicular enlargement in males, and pubic/axillary hair in both sexes. Puberty is initiated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone release from the hypothalamus followed by a complex sequence of endocrine changes and is controlled by multiple, interconnected regulatory pathways that respond to numerous endogenous and environmental signals. The aim of this chapter is to summarize recent developments in the field of puberty control, focusing on the genetic, epigenetic, environmental, neuroendocrine, and metabolic components of the complex and coordinated process of puberty. In addition, the main diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of variations of normal pubertal development such as premature pubarche and thelarche and constitutional delay of growth and puberty are also summarized. For complete coverage of this and related areas in Endocrinology, visit the free online textbook, www.endotext.org 
De Groot, LJ; Beck-Peccoz, P; Chrousos, G; Dungan, K; Grossman, A; Hershman, JM; Koch, C; McLachlan, R; New, M; Rebar, R; Singer, F; Vinik, A; Weickert, MO