Cited by 88Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormonesSexual Differentiation and DisordersGrowth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors

HPG-axis hormones during puberty: a study on the association with hypothalamic and pituitary volumes

Peper, Jiska S., Brouwer, Rachel M., van Leeuwen, Marieke, Schnack, Hugo G., Boomsma, Dorret I., Kahn, René S., Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke E.·2010·Psychoneuroendocrinology

Abstract

Objective During puberty, the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis is activated, leading to increases in luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and sex steroids (testosterone and estradiol) levels. We aimed to study the association between hypothalamic and pituitary volumes and development of pubertal hormones in healthy pubertal children.Method Hormone levels of LH, FSH, estradiol (measured in urine) and testosterone (measured in saliva) were assessed in 85 healthy children (39 boys, 46 girls) between 10 and 15 years of age. Hypothalamic and pituitary gland volumes were segmented on high resolution structural MRI scans. Since sex hormone production is regulated in a sex-specific manner, associations between hormones, hypothalamus and pituitary were analyzed in boys and girls separately.Results LH, estradiol and testosterone levels all increased with age in both sexes, whereas FSH level did not. Pituitary volume also increased with age and explained 12%, 10% and 8% of the variance in female estradiol, testosterone and LH levels respectively. Corrected for age, pituitary volume explained 17% of FSH level in girls (not boys). Hypothalamic volume did not change with age and did not significantly explain variance in any hormonal level.Discussion Our study suggests that a larger pituitary volume is related to higher FSH production, but this association seems independent of pubertal development. The positive association between estradiol, LH and testosterone and pituitary volume is related to age-related pubertal development. With respect to the hypothalamus, we did not find convincing evidence for a larger structure to be involved in elevated hormonal production.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.05.025

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Authors
Peper, J. S., Brouwer, R. M., van Leeuwen, M., Schnack, H. G., Boomsma, D. I., Kahn, R. S., & Hulshoff Pol, H. E.
Affiliations
  • Utrecht University (NL)
  • University Medical Center Utrecht (NL)
  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
Corresponding author
Peper, Jiska S.
Venue
Psychoneuroendocrinology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2010-01
Volume
35
Issue
1
Pages
133-140
ISSN
0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2012142039
Cited by
88
References
68
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
FWCI
3.53
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Academic REpository of VU University Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
  • VU Research Portal (submittedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors
Keywords
puberty, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, pituitary volume, hypothalamic volume, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, testosterone, sex hormones, pubertal development, children
MeSH terms
Child, Female, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Hypothalamus, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Ovary, Pituitary Gland, Puberty, Sex Characteristics, Gonadal Steroid Hormones, Testis

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