Puberty is a complex process that culminates in the acquisition of psychophysical maturity and reproductive capacity. This elaborate fascinating marks end childhood. Behind it lies complex, genetically mediated neuroendocrine mechanism through which gonads are activated thanks to fine balance between central inhibitory stimulating neuromodulators hormones with both peripheral action. The onset ...

True precocious puberty occurs as a result of the premature release of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone from the hypothalamus, which stimulates the secretion of the pituitary gonadotropins, which in turn stimulate the gonadal sex steroids. The differential diagnosis of true precocious puberty includes cerebral and idiopathic categories. This differentiation, which cannot be made endocrinol...

Small for gestational age (SGA) children are more prone to have precocious pubarche and exaggerated precocious adrenarche, an earlier onset of pubertal development and menarche, and faster progression of puberty than children born of appropriate for gestational age (AGA) size. The majority of studies investigating the onset of puberty in children born SGA and AGA established that, although pube...

From the Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology, INSERM Unité 690, and Centre de Référence des Maladies Endocriniennes de la Croissance, Robert Debré Hospital and University of Paris 7 — Denis Diderot, Paris (J.-C.C., J.L.). Address reprint requests to Dr. Carel at Endocrinologie Diabétologie Pédiatrique and INSERM U690, Hôpital Robert Debré, 48, Blvd. Sérurier, 75935 Paris CEDEX...

Precocious puberty (PP) has traditionally been defined as pubertal changes occurring before age 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys. A secular trend toward earlier puberty has now been confirmed by recent studies in both the United States and Europe. Factors associated with earlier puberty include obesity, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC), and intrauterine growth restriction. In 1997, a st...

Precocious puberty can be induced in a majority of heifers weaned early and fed a high-concentrate diet. The objective of this experiment was to determine whether induction of precocious puberty is associated with an acceleration of ovarian maturation in heifers. Crossbred Angus and Simmental heifer calves were weaned at 104 +/- 2 (n = 18; early weaned) or 208 +/- 3 (n = 10; normal-weaned, NW) ...