Metabolic signals in human puberty: Effects of over and undernutrion

G.Á. Martos-Moreno , J.A. Chowen , J. Argente

Puberty in mammals is associated with important physical and psychological changes due to the increase in sex steroids and growth hormone (GH). Indeed, an increase in growth velocity and the attainment of sexual maturity for future reproductive function are the hallmark changes during this stage of life. Both growth and reproduction consume high levels of energy, requiring suitable energy stores to face these physiological functions. During the last two decades our knowledge concerning how peptides produced in the digestive tract (in charge of energy intake) and in adipose tissue (in charge of energy storage) provide information regarding metabolic status to the central nervous system (CNS) has increased dramatically. Moreover, these peptides have been shown to play an important role in modulating the gonadotropic axis with their absence or an imbalance in their secretion being able to disturb pubertal onset or progression.

Mots clés: Leptin; Ghrelin; puberty; Anorexia; Obesity; Growth

G.Á. Martos-Moreno, J.A. Chowen, J. Argente. Metabolic signals in human puberty: Effects of over and undernutrion. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 2010, 324 (1-2), pp.70. ⟨10.1016/j.mce.2009.12.017⟩. ⟨hal-00602317⟩