사춘기 조숙증은 여아에서 8세 이전에 유방 발육이 있거나 남아에서 9세 이전에 고환이 4 mL 이상 커지는 것으로 정의되는데 최근 사춘기 발현 연령이 점차 낮아지고 있다. 사춘기를 시작하는 gonadotrophin releasing hormone(GnRH)의 활성화에는 흥분성 및 억제성 아미노산, 성장인자, 전사조절인자, 아디포카인 등 많은 인자들이 복합적으로 작용한다. 특발성 사춘기 조숙증의 원인으로서 유전인자, 영양상태(특히 체지방 증가), 환경호르

Precocious puberty is defined as the appearance of secondary sex characteristics before age 8 years in girls (or menarche before age 9 years) and before 9 years in boys. The age of onset of puberty is progressing to younger age. The pubertal activation of gonadotrophin releasing hormone(GnRH) release requires coordinated changes in excitatory or inhibitory amino acids, growth factors, and a group of transcriptional regulators. A number of factors affecting precocious puberty were explored, including the role of genetic factors, nutrition(body fat) and exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals. In addition to the psychosocial disturbances associated with precocious puberty, the premature pubertal growth spurt and the accelerated bone maturation result in reduced adult height. Precocious puberty may be gonadotrophin-dependent premature activation of the GnRH pulse generator or gonadotrophin-independent. In rapidly progressing central precocious puberty, GnRH agonists appear to increase final height. However more data on the effect and long-term safety of GnRHa are needed.

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