Summary
Puberty is commonly thought to occur as a consequence of the decrease in sensitivity of certain hypothalamic neurons to the negative feedback effect exerted by gonadal steroid hormones. In view of the well-documented participation of adrenergic neurons in the central control of gonadotrophin secretion, it is proposed that the resetting of the hypothalamic “gonadostat” is caused by the growth and functional maturation of steroid-sensitive adrenergic systems. The ontogenetic development and certain plastic properties of hypothalamic adrenergic neurons are described. Their participation in the induction of experimental and clinical pubertas praecox and their possible mediation of nutritional effects are discussed.
Zusammenfassung
Als Ursache für den Eintritt der Pubertät wird in der Regel die Abnahme der Empfindlichkeit gewisser hypothalamischer Neurone gegenüber der negativen Feedback-Wirkung der Sexualsteroide genannt. In Anbetracht der nachgewiesenen Beteiligung adrenerger Neurone an der zentralen Regulierung der Gonadotrophinsekretion wird postuliert, daß diese Neueinstellung des hypothalamischen „Gonadostaten“ durch das Wachstum und die funktionelle Reifung steroidempfindlicher adrenerger Neurone zustande kommt. Die ontogenetische Entwicklung und gewisse plastische Eigenschaften hypothalamischer adrenerger Systeme werden beschrieben und deren Beteiligung an der Genese der experimentellen und klinischen Pubertas praecox diskutiert. Der Einfluß alimentärer Faktoren auf den Eintritt der sexuellen Reife und der enge Zusammenhang zwischen Körpergewicht und Zeitpunkt der Pubertät werden besprochen.
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Work carried out in the author's laboratory has been supported by a Group Grant in Developmental Neurobiology from the Canadian Medical Research Council.
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Ruf, K.B. How does the brain control the process of puberty?. J Neurol 204, 95–105 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00315936
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00315936