The effect of sex hormone replacement therapy on behavior problems and moods in adolescents with delayed puberty

Illuminating the landscape of sibling relationship quality: An evidence and gap map

This paper used an evidence and gap map (EGM) to advance the scientific understanding of sibling relationship quality among children aged 2 to 18 years by synthesizing literature on 277 empirical studies from 1985 to 2022 to delineate patterns of study design, sampling, and measurement. Most existing research has utilized majority of White, middle-to-upper class, and/or two-caregiver family samples. Nearly 85% (n = 235) of studies used quantitative methods to measure sibling relationship quality across eight domains: conflict, warmth/affection, quality, cohesion, hostility, power/control, positive engagement, and conflict management. A total of 122 studies used a measure of sibling relationship quality as a predictor of sibling behavior, social, psychological, cognitive, health, or physiological outcomes. Future directions for research are discussed.

Constitutional delay of growth and puberty in female mice is induced by circadian rhythm disruption in utero

Constitutional delay of growth and puberty (CDGP) refers to the late onset of puberty. CDGP is associated with poor psychosocial outcomes and elevated risk of cardiovascular and osteoporotic diseases, especially in women. The environmental factors that contribute to CDGP are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of chronic circadian disturbance (CCD) during the fetal stage on the pubertal development of female mice. Compared to non-stressed female (NS-F) mice that were not exposed to CCD in utero, adolescent CCD female (CCD-F) mice exhibited phenotypes that were consistent with CDGP, including lower body weight, reduced levels of circulating gonadal hormones, decreased expression of gonadal hormones and steroid synthesis-related enzymes in the ovary and hypothalamus, irregular estrus cycles, and tardive vaginal introitus initial opening (VO) days (equivalent to the menarche). Phenotypic differences in the above-noted parameters were not observed in CCD-F mice once they had reached adulthood. The expression of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism was perturbed in the ovary and hypothalamus of CCD-F mice. In addition, the ovaries of these animals exhibited altered diurnal expression profiles of circadian clock genes. Together, our findings not only suggest that CCD during fetal development may result in delayed puberty in female mice, they also offer insights on potential mechanisms that underlie CDGP.

Interdisciplinary Work Is Essential for Research on Puberty: Complexity and Dynamism in Action

Puberty is associated with changes in behavior and psychosocial well-being, and is important in lifelong health. We present five different facets regarding interdisciplinary research that are important to puberty. A short history of philosophical issues instrumental in promoting early interdisciplinary research is first presented. We discuss then what is hard and what is easy about interdisciplinary research, the purpose of which is to alert scientists to challenges and opportunities for interdisciplinary research on puberty. Readers then are introduced to advances and obstacles in interdisciplinary research on development. Recommendations for tailoring graduate education toward interdisciplinarity are introduced. Finally, issues related to publication, education of scientists, and policy makers are described. The report concludes with a discussion of funding and policy issues.

Adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems predict their affect-specific HPA and HPG axes reactivity

We examined psychopathology-neuroendocrine associations in relation to the transition into adolescence within a developmental framework that acknowledged the interdependence of the HPA and HPG hormone systems in the regulation of responses to everyday affective contexts. Saliva samples were collected during anxiety and anger inductions from 51 young adolescents (M 13.47, SD = .60 years) to evaluate cortisol, DHEA, and testosterone responses. Internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed at pre-adolescence (M = 9.27, SD = .58 years) while youths were in elementary school and concurrently with hormones in early adolescence. Externalizing problems from elementary school predicted adolescents' reduced DHEA reactivity during anxiety induction. Follow up analyses simultaneously examining the contributions of elementary school and adolescent problems showed a trend suggesting that youths with higher levels of internalizing problems during elementary school eventuated in a profile of heightened DHEA reactivity as adolescents undergoing anxiety induction. For both the anxiety and the anger inductions, it was normative for DHEA and testosterone to be positively coupled. Adolescents with high externalizing problems but low internalizing problems marshaled dual axes co-activation during anger induction in the form of positive cortisol-testosterone coupling. This is some of the first evidence suggesting affective context determines whether dual axes coupling is reflective of normative or problematic functioning in adolescence.

Assessment of quality of life during gonadotrophin treatment for male hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism

OBJECTIVE

The management of male hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (MHH) with gonadotrophins is effective in promoting genital development and spermatogenesis. We investigated the changes in SF-36 subscales, including physical, social and psychological QOL, during gonadotrophin or testosterone treatment and analysed the factors that are involved in the outcomes of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in MHH patients.

PATIENTS AND DESIGN

Thirty-seven MHH patients (mean age: 26.1 years old) who underwent gonadotrophin (n = 31) or testosterone treatment (n = 6), excluding infertility cases, were asked to respond to a SF-36 questionnaire before and every 6 months during the 2-year treatment period. The changes in SF-36 domains and the associations between improvements and patient factors were examined.

RESULTS

The scores in all of the SF-36 domains were lower than in the normal Japanese population. In all eight domains, except for bodily pain and social functioning, the mean scores for physical function (PF), role-physical (RP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), role-emotional (RE) and mental health (MH) significantly increased over the course of treatment in patients with gonadotrophin. These changes were particularly noticeable in the psychological domains; GH, VT, RE and MH exhibited large increases 18 months after treatment. Testosterone treatment increased only PF and RP domains. In patients with sperm in their ejaculate, the improvements in GH, VT, RE and MH were significantly greater than those who did not exhibit sperm.

CONCLUSION

Gonadotrophin treatment for MHH was associated with significant improvements in SF-36 domains. Gonadotrophin treatment could prevent negative physical and psychological sequelae in the management of MHH.

Sexual differentiation of human behavior: effects of prenatal and pubertal organizational hormones

A key question concerns the extent to which sexual differentiation of human behavior is influenced by sex hormones present during sensitive periods of development (organizational effects), as occurs in other mammalian species. The most important sensitive period has been considered to be prenatal, but there is increasing attention to puberty as another organizational period, with the possibility of decreasing sensitivity to sex hormones across the pubertal transition. In this paper, we review evidence that sex hormones present during the prenatal and pubertal periods produce permanent changes to behavior. There is good evidence that exposure to high levels of androgens during prenatal development results in masculinization of activity and occupational interests, sexual orientation, and some spatial abilities; prenatal androgens have a smaller effect on gender identity, and there is insufficient information about androgen effects on sex-linked behavior problems. There is little good evidence regarding long-lasting behavioral effects of pubertal hormones, but there is some suggestion that they influence gender identity and perhaps some sex-linked forms of psychopathology, and there are many opportunities to study this issue.

A Test of Biosocial Models of Adolescent Cigarette and Alcohol Involvement

We tested biosocial models that posit interactions between biological variables (testosterone, estradiol, pubertal status, and pubertal timing) and social context variables (family, peer, school, and neighborhood) in predicting adolescent involvement with cigarettes and alcohol in a sample of 409 adolescents in grades 6 and 8. Models including the biological and contextual variables and their interactions explained significantly more variance in adolescent cigarette and alcohol involvement than did models including only the main effects of the biological and contextual variables. Post-hoc analyses of significant interactions suggested that, in most case, moderation occurred in the hypothesized direction. Consistent with dual hazards models of adolescent antisocial behaviors, the relationships between the biological and substance use variables became positive and stronger as the context became more harmful. Considerations of adolescent substance use, and perhaps other problem behaviors, should recognize the possible role of biological variables and how their influence may vary by social context.

Puberty and depression

Unipolar depression only becomes more common in girls than boys after the age of 13, as a result of an increased incidence of depressive episodes in girls at that time. This article reviews evidence that links multiple dimensions of maturation in the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis with this phenomenon. Effects of developmental status and timing have been implicated, but few studies have deployed either the measurement strategies or the statistical power needed to provide a satisfactory answer to the question regarding which components of puberty are most responsible.

Developmental factors in the treatment of adolescents

Most empirically supported interventions for adolescent mental health problems are either downward adaptations of adult treatments or upward adaptations of child treatments. Although these treatments show respectable effects with teens, a review of the outcome research reveals significant gaps. both in coverage of adolescent conditions and problems (e.g., eating disorders, suicidality) and in attention to the biological, psychological, and social dimensions of adolescent development. The authors critique the field, propose a biopsychosocial framework for the development of dysfunction and intervention, and discuss ways the developmental literature can and cannot inform intervention and research. A long-term goal is an array of developmentally tailored treatments that are effective with clinically referred teens and an enriched understanding of when, how, and why the treatments work.

Central precocious puberty. An overview of diagnosis, treatment, and outcome

Central precocious puberty (CPP) is physiologically normal puberty beginning early. It is the consequence of early increased regulation of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation of pituitary gonadotropin release causing pubertal changes and accelerated growth. GnRH stimulation testing is the definitive diagnostic test--pubertal gonadotropin responses being indicative of CPP. Among patients with progressive CPP, GnRH analogue therapy is effective by decreased regulation of gonadotropin secretion. Pubertal progression is stopped, and accelerated growth rate and compromised adult height are precluded or alleviated. Outcome data have not identified unusual sequelae.