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Behavioral Approaches to Chronic Disease in Adolescence pp 29–45Cite as

Adolescent Physiology

Adolescence is a time of many changes anatomically, physiologically, neurologically, and behaviorally. The age of adolescence is considered to be between 10 and 21 years. However, great variability exists in terms of the chronologic age at which complete adult maturity is achieved in any given individual. Additionally, the anatomic and physiologic portions of adolescence may be earlier to mature than the neurological and behavioral aspects. This discordance in development may lead to difficulties in the adolescent including promiscuity, risk-taking behaviors, and adolescents being treated according to their physical, not neurological, development. An adolescent who develops earlier or later than his or her peers also may experience teasing about one’s height and sexual development (or lack thereof). This chapter will discuss adolescent physiology with emphasis on the endocrine (hormonal) physiology and brain physiology. Case studies with examples of chronic disease in adolescents will also be presented.

Keywords

  • Growth Hormone
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Prefrontal Cortex
  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Eating Disorder

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Reno, NV, USA

    Kathryn L. Eckert, Vincent A. Loffredo & Kathleen O’Connor

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  1. Kathryn L. Eckert
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  2. Vincent A. Loffredo
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  3. Kathleen O’Connor
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Correspondence to Kathryn L. Eckert .

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    Eckert, K.L., Loffredo, V.A., O’Connor, K. (2009). Adolescent Physiology. In: O'Donohue, W. (eds) Behavioral Approaches to Chronic Disease in Adolescence. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-87687-0_4

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