Testosterone changes linked to emotional distress in pubertal girls - Contemporary Pediatrics

IntroductionThe transition from childhood to adulthood represents a critical developmental window marked by a neurobiological “mismatch” between early-maturing affective systems and the prolonged maturation of prefrontal networks involved in top-down cognitive control [1]. While limbic regions such as the amygdala mature relatively early, prefrontal circuitry continues to refine its structural and functional connectivity through adolescence and young adulthood. This developmental gap creates a period of heightened neuroplasticity and vulnerability, during which environmental stressors and protective factors exert a disproportionate influence on long-term psychiatric trajectories [2]. Accordingly, the peak age of onset for mental disorders is approximately 14.5 years [3], with nearly half of all lifetime cases emerging by age 20 [4]. Epidemiological evidence accumulated over the past two decades indicates a marked global increase in youth mental disorders [5, 6].

FERTILITY after childhood cancer was associated with reproductive hormone levels during puberty in a cohort study of 221 male survivors, with testicular radiotherapy linked to persistent testicular impairment and evidence of hormonal recovery after intermediate-dose alkylating chemotherapy. The findings suggest that monitoring reproductive hormones during adolescence could help identify survivors who may benefit from early fertility counselling. Researchers investigated the relationship between pubertal hormone levels, previous cancer treatment, and adult testicular function. The cohort included male survivors diagnosed with cancer before the age of 17 years between 1964 and 2000.