Puberty Onset Influencing Factors - Anatomy & Physiology
|
Female Threshold Body Size
- Nutritional intake of the newborn is directed towards body maintenance.
- The priority of the neonate is to maintain vital physiological functions.
- Non-essential processes, such as reproduction are of low priority.
- As the neonate grows, energy consumption increases and the body mass increases with a relative decrease in body surface area.
- This allows a shift in metabolic expenditure so that other physiological functions can develop.
- The excess internal energy is converted to fat stores, and a priority is then placed on reproduction so the onset of puberty begins.
- Fat accumulation alone does not determine the onset of puberty, but it is an important regulator.
- All female mammals must reach a certain body size before the onset of puberty can be initiated.
- Metabolic signals affect production of GnRH.