Neuroendocrinology of puberty

Puberty begins when the gonad starts secreting increased amounts of sex steroids in response to greater pituitary gonadotropin stimulation. Because the gonads and the pituitary of the prepubertal individual are capable of pubertal or adult function, it is apparent that the stimuli that result in the onset of pubertal development proceed from the central nervous system (CNS). In the adult, the stimulation for gonadotropin secretion comes from the CNS by the intermittent secretion of a hypothalamic-releasing hormone reaching the pituitary via the hypophysial portal circulation.