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Elhakeem A, Frysz M, Goncalves Soares A, Bell JA, Cole TJ, Heron J, Howe LD, Sebert S, Tilling K, Timpson NJ, Lawlor DA. Evaluation and comparison of nine growth and development-based measures of pubertal timing. COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE 2024; 4:159. [PMID: 39112679 PMCID: PMC11306255 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-024-00580-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pubertal timing is heritable, varies between individuals, and has implications for life-course health. There are many different indicators of pubertal timing, and how they relate to each other is unclear. Our aim was to quantitatively compare nine indicators of pubertal timing. METHODS We used data from questionnaires and height, weight, and bone measurements from ages 7-17 y in a population-based cohort of 4267 females and 4251 males to compare nine growth and development-based indicators of pubertal timing. We summarise age of each indicator, their phenotypic and genetic correlations, and how they relate to established genetic risk score (GRS) for puberty timing, and phenotypic childhood body composition measures. RESULTS We show that pubic hair in males (mean: 12.6 y) and breasts in females (11.5 y) are early indicators of puberty, and voice breaking (14.2 y) and menarche (12.7 y) are late indicators however, there is substantial variation between individuals in pubertal age. All indicators show evidence of positive phenotypic intercorrelations (e.g., r = 0.49: male genitalia and pubic hair ages), and positive genetic intercorrelations. An age at menarche GRS positively associates with all other pubertal age indicators (e.g., difference in female age at peak height velocity per SD higher GRS: 0.24 y, 95%CI: 0.21 to 0.26), as does an age at voice breaking GRS (e.g., difference in age at male axillary hair: 0.11 y, 0.07 to 0.15). Higher childhood fat mass and lean mass associated with earlier puberty timing. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide insights into the measurements of the timing of pubertal growth and development and illustrate value of various pubertal timing indicators in life-course research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Elhakeem
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Monika Frysz
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Musculoskeletal Research Unit, Translational Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ana Goncalves Soares
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Joshua A Bell
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Tim J Cole
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Jon Heron
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Laura D Howe
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Sylvain Sebert
- Research Unit of Population Health, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Kate Tilling
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Nicholas J Timpson
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Deborah A Lawlor
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Population Health Science, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, Bristol, UK
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Eren H, Sezer B, Deniz Y. Evaluation of the differences in the localization of the lingula mandibulae according to pubertal development in children: A new anthropological and forensic approach. Arch Oral Biol 2024; 159:105892. [PMID: 38241846 DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2024.105892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate changes in lingula mandibulae localization before and after puberty and sex differences. DESIGN 288 panoramic radiographs evaluated retrospectively were divided into four groups according to pubertal development: under and over 10 years old for females and under and over 11 years old for males. Four anatomic sites were used as reference points: (a) the anterior border of the ramus; (b) the posterior border of the ramus; (c) the deepest point of mandibular notch; and (d) the angulus mandibulae. The ratio of the distances from the lingula mandibulae to points (a) and (b) and the ratio of the distances from the lingula mandibulae to points (c) and (d) were determined. Two-way ANOVA was performed to assess differences between subgroups based on sex and puberty, and a Bonferroni post-hoc test was performed for multiple comparisons. RESULTS Puberty and sex has a significant interaction effect on the vertical location of the lingula mandibulae. Postpubertal lingula mandibulae is positioned proportionally more anteriorly by prepubertal localization. In addition, the lingula mandibulae is situated more posteriorly in females compared to males. A significant interaction effect of puberty and sex was observed in relation to the vertical positioning of the lingula mandibulae. CONCLUSIONS The spatial localization of the lingula mandibulae and its spatial displacement with age can be used both in estimating sex and the onset of puberty. Changes in the localization of lingula mandibulae according to pubertal development and sex can be used in forensic and anthropological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hakan Eren
- Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkiye
| | - Berkant Sezer
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkiye.
| | - Yeşim Deniz
- Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkiye; Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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Sehovic E, Zellers SM, Youssef MK, Heikkinen A, Kaprio J, Ollikainen M. DNA methylation sites in early adulthood characterised by pubertal timing and development: a twin study. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:181. [PMID: 37950287 PMCID: PMC10638786 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01594-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Puberty is a highly heritable and variable trait, with environmental factors having a role in its eventual timing and development. Early and late pubertal onset are both associated with various diseases developing later in life, and epigenetic characterisation of pubertal timing and development could lead to important insights. Blood DNA methylation, reacting to both genotype and environment, has been associated with puberty; however, such studies are relatively scarce. We investigated peripheral blood DNA methylation profiles (using Illumina 450 K and EPIC platforms) of 1539 young adult Finnish twins associated with pubertal development scale (PDS) at ages 12 and 14 as well as pubertal age (PA). RESULTS Fixed effect meta-analysis of the two platforms on 347,521 CpGs in common identified 58 CpG sites associated (p < 1 × 10-5) with either PDS or PA. All four CpGs associated with PA and 45 CpGs associated with PDS were sex-specific. Thirteen CpGs had a high heritability (h2: 0.51-0.98), while one CpG site (mapped to GET4) had a high shared environmental component accounting for 68% of the overall variance in methylation at the site. Utilising twin discordance analysis, we found 6 CpG sites (5 associated with PDS and 1 with PA) that had an environmentally driven association with puberty. Furthermore, genes with PDS- or PA-associated CpGs were consistently linked to various developmental processes and diseases such as breast, prostate and ovarian cancer, while methylation quantitative trait loci of associated CpG sites were enriched in immune pathways developing during puberty. CONCLUSIONS By identifying puberty-associated DNA methylation sites and examining the effects of sex, environment and genetics, we shed light on the intricate interplay between environment and genetics in the context of puberty. Through our comprehensive analysis, we not only deepen the understanding of the significance of both genetic and environmental factors in the complex processes of puberty and its timing, but also gain insights into potential links with disease risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emir Sehovic
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, 10100, Turin, Italy
- Cancer Genomics Lab, Fondazione Edo ed Elvo Tempia, 13900, Biella, Italy
| | - Stephanie M Zellers
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Markus K Youssef
- Laboratory for Topology and Neuroscience, Brain Mind Institute, EPFL, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Aino Heikkinen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jaakko Kaprio
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Miina Ollikainen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, 00290, Helsinki, Finland.
- Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, 00290, Helsinki, Finland.
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Saengkaew T, Howard SR. Genetics of pubertal delay. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2022; 97:473-482. [PMID: 34617615 PMCID: PMC9543006 DOI: 10.1111/cen.14606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The timing of pubertal development is strongly influenced by the genetic background, and clinical presentations of delayed puberty are often found within families with clear patterns of inheritance. The discovery of the underlying genetic regulators of such conditions, in recent years through next generation sequencing, has advanced the understanding of the pathogenesis of disorders of pubertal timing and the potential for genetic testing to assist diagnosis for patients with these conditions. This review covers the significant advances in the understanding of the biological mechanisms of delayed puberty that have occurred in the last two decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tansit Saengkaew
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
- Endocrinology Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of MedicinePrince of Songkla UniversitySongkhlaThailand
| | - Sasha R. Howard
- Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
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The onset of pubertal development and actigraphy-assessed sleep during middle childhood: Racial, gender, and genetic effects. Sleep Health 2022; 8:208-215. [PMID: 35210201 PMCID: PMC9215257 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2021.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study (1) examined pubertal development in relation to actigraphy-assessed sleep in twin children, and tested whether associations differed by child race and gender, (2) modeled genetic and environmental influences on pubertal development and sleep indicators, and (3) examined genetic and environmental influences on the covariation of puberty and sleep. DESIGN The classic twin design was used to examine genetic and environmental contributions to puberty and sleep and their associations. SETTING Data were collected from community-dwelling urban and rural families of twins in the southwestern U.S. PARTICIPANTS The racially and socioeconomically diverse sample included 596 twin children (Mage = 8.41, SD = 0.69; 51.7% female; 66.3% white; 33.7% Hispanic; 170 monozygotic, 236 same-sex dizygotic, 188 opposite-sex dizygotic). MEASUREMENTS Pubertal development was assessed via parent report. Children wore actigraph watches for 7 nights (M = 6.81, SD = 0.67) to capture sleep duration, efficiency, midpoint, onset latency, and duration variability. RESULTS In contrast to extant literature with older youth, more advanced pubertal development was associated with longer sleep durations in Hispanic and white girls and higher sleep efficiency in white girls, though Hispanic girls demonstrated later sleep midpoints. Pubertal development was moderately heritable and there was a genetic influence on the covariance between puberty and sleep indicators. CONCLUSIONS This was the first study to examine the genetic and environmental influences on the covariation between puberty and sleep, and found genetic underpinnings between pubertal development and actigraphy-assessed sleep duration and efficiency, though sleep and puberty were almost entirely independent in twins at this age.
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Pham HT, DiLalla LF, Corley RP, Dorn LD, Berenbaum SA. Family environmental antecedents of pubertal timing in girls and boys: A review and open questions. Horm Behav 2022; 138:105101. [PMID: 35124424 PMCID: PMC9261775 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Across nonhuman species, pubertal timing is affected by the social environment, with consequences for reproductive success and behavior. In human beings, variations in pubertal timing have not been systematically examined in relation to social environmental antecedents, although their psychological consequences are well documented. This paper focuses on links in human beings between pubertal timing and the childhood social environment, with several sections: A review of studies relating pubertal timing to the family context, a key aspect of the social environment; challenges in studying the issue; and opportunities for future work that takes advantage of and creates links with evidence in other species. The review shows that pubertal timing in girls is accelerated by adversity in aspects of the early family social context, with effects small in size; data in boys are not sufficient to enable conclusions. Inferences from existing studies are limited by variations in conceptualizations and measurement of relevant aspects of puberty and of the family social environment, and by methodological issues (e.g., reliance on existing data, use of retrospective reports, nonrandom missing data). Open questions remain about the nature, mechanisms, and specificity of the links between early family social environment and pubertal timing (e.g., form of associations, consideration of absence of positive experiences, role of timing of exposure). Animal studies provide a useful guide for addressing these questions, by delineating potential hormonal mechanisms that underlie links among social context, pubertal timing, and behavior, and encouraging attention to aspects of the social environment outside the family, especially peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly T Pham
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 453 Moore, PA 16802, United States
| | - Lisabeth F DiLalla
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, 6503, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL 62901, United States
| | - Robin P Corley
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, 447 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309, United States
| | - Lorah D Dorn
- College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 313 Nursing Sciences, PA 16802, United States; Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA 17033, United States
| | - Sheri A Berenbaum
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 453 Moore, PA 16802, United States; Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA 17033, United States.
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Yang B, Ostbye T, Huang X, Li Y, Fang B, Wang H, Liu Q. Maternal Age at Menarche and Pubertal Timing in Boys and Girls: A Cohort Study From Chongqing, China. J Adolesc Health 2021; 68:508-516. [PMID: 32798100 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study explored the association of maternal age at menarche (AAM) with pubertal timing among girls and boys in Chongqing, China. METHODS Pubertal development of 1,237 children (542 girls and 695 boys) were examined half-yearly through inspection and palpation from April 2014 to June 2019. Characteristics of parents and maternal AAM were collected by a parental questionnaire at baseline. Maternal AAM was used both as a continuous and a categorical variable in Cox regression models. RESULTS A total of 1,198 children (528 girls and 670 boys) were included in the study. In the simple Cox model, earlier maternal AAM was associated with girls' earlier menarche, breast and pubic hair development, and boys' first ejaculation, testicular development, and genital development. When adjusting for children's body mass index z-scores (BMIz) and socioeconomic covariates, we found that girls whose mothers had early AAM had a higher risk of earlier onset of menarche (hazard ratio [HR]: .922, 95% confidence interval [CI]: .852-.998 for continuous maternal AAM, HR: 1.297, 95% CI: 1.041-1.616 for maternal AAM ≤13 years), and boys whose mother achieved menarche earlier experienced a higher risk of earlier onset of first ejaculation (HR: .896, 95% CI: .830-.968). Children's BMIz were related to all nine pubertal milestones. Parental education and relationship, birth weight, parity, and family type were also associated with pubertal timing. CONCLUSIONS Earlier maternal AAM was related to earlier pubertal timing in both girls and boys in Chongqing, especially girls' age at menarche and boys' first ejaculation. Children's BMIz was the most consistent factor for pubertal timing. Children's BMIz and socioeconomic conditions had greater influence on most pubertal milestones than maternal AAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Yang
- School of Public Health and Management, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Truls Ostbye
- Department of Family Medicine & Community Health and Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Xin Huang
- School of Public Health and Management, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yueyue Li
- School of Public Health and Management, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bo Fang
- School of Public Health and Management, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Wang
- School of Public Health and Management, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qin Liu
- School of Public Health and Management, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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Roberts SA, Kaiser UB. GENETICS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: Genetic etiologies of central precocious puberty and the role of imprinted genes. Eur J Endocrinol 2020; 183:R107-R117. [PMID: 32698138 PMCID: PMC7682746 DOI: 10.1530/eje-20-0103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Pubertal timing is regulated by the complex interplay of genetic, environmental, nutritional and epigenetic factors. Criteria for determining normal pubertal timing, and thus the definition of precocious puberty, have evolved based on published population studies. The significance of the genetic influence on pubertal timing is supported by familial pubertal timing and twin studies. In contrast to the many monogenic causes associated with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, only four monogenic causes of central precocious puberty (CPP) have been described. Loss-of-function mutations in Makorin Ring Finger Protein 3(MKRN3), a maternally imprinted gene on chromosome 15 within the Prader-Willi syndrome locus, are the most common identified genetic cause of CPP. More recently, several mutations in a second maternally imprinted gene, Delta-like noncanonical Notch ligand 1 (DLK1), have also been associated with CPP. Polymorphisms in both genes have also been associated with the age of menarche in genome-wide association studies. Mutations in the genes encoding kisspeptin (KISS1) and its receptor (KISS1R), potent activators of GnRH secretion, have also been described in association with CPP, but remain rare monogenic causes. CPP has both short- and long-term health implications for children, highlighting the importance of understanding the mechanisms contributing to early puberty. Additionally, given the role of mutations in the imprinted genes MKRN3 and DLK1 in pubertal timing, other imprinted candidate genes should be considered for a role in puberty initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A. Roberts
- Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ursula B. Kaiser
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Horvath G, Knopik VS, Marceau K. Polygenic Influences on Pubertal Timing and Tempo and Depressive Symptoms in Boys and Girls. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2020; 30:78-94. [PMID: 31008555 PMCID: PMC6810710 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study used polygenic scoring (PGS) to test whether puberty-related genes were correlated with depressive symptoms, and whether there were indirect effects through pubertal maturation. The sample included 8,795 adolescents from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (measures of puberty drawn ages 8-17 years; of depressive symptoms at age 16.5 years). The PGS (derived from a genome-wide meta-analysis of later age at menarche) predicted boys' and girls' later pubertal timing, boys' slower gonadal development, and girls' faster breast development. Earlier perceived breast development timing predicted more depressive symptoms in girls. Findings support shared genetic underpinnings for boys' and girls' puberty, contributing to multiple pubertal phenotypes with differences in how these genetic variants affect boys' and girls' development.
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Pompéia S, Zanini GDAV, Freitas RSD, Inacio LMC, Silva FCD, Souza GRD, Vitalle MSDS, Niskier SR, Cogo-Moreira H. Adapted version of the Pubertal Development Scale for use in Brazil. Rev Saude Publica 2019; 53:56. [PMID: 31432913 PMCID: PMC6703897 DOI: 10.11606/s1518-8787.2019053000915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether scores in an adapted version of the self-assessment Pubertal Development Scale into Portuguese match those from the gold standard in pubertal development (Tanner scale). METHODS This was a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 133 children and adolescents aged nine to 17 years (59 males; mean age of 13 years and six months, with standard deviation = 25 months). Youngsters completed the Pubertal Development Scale and were then examined by specialists in adolescent medicine. RESULTS Exact absolute agreement of pubertal stages were modest, but significant associations between measures (correlation; intra-class correlation coefficients of consistency) showed that the Pubertal Development Scale adequately measures changes that map onto pubertal development determined by physical examination, on par with international publications. Furthermore, scores obtained from each Pubertal Development Scale question reflected adequate gonadal and adrenal events assessed by clinical ratings, mostly with medium/high effect sizes. Latent factors obtained from scores on all Pubertal Development Scale questions had excellent fit indices in Confirmatory Factor Analyses and correlated with Tanner staging. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that self-assessment of body changes by youngsters using the Portuguese version of the Pubertal Development Scale is useful when estimates of pubertal progression are sufficient, and exact agreement with clinical staging is not necessary. The Pubertal Development Scale is, therefore, a reliable instrument for use in large-scale studies in Brazil that aim at investigating adolescent health related to pubertal developmental. The translated version and scoring systems are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Pompéia
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Departamento de Psicobiologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Rafaella Sales de Freitas
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicobiologia. São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Flávia Calanca da Silva
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva. São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Giovana Ribeiro de Souza
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Setor de Medicina do Adolescente. Departamento de Pediatria. São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Sheila Rejane Niskier
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Setor de Medicina do Adolescente. Departamento de Pediatria. São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Hugo Cogo-Moreira
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Departamento de Psiquiatria. São Paulo, SP, Brasil
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Kennedy JT, Astafiev SV, Golosheykin S, Korucuoglu O, Anokhin AP. Shared genetic influences on adolescent body mass index and brain structure: A voxel-based morphometry study in twins. Neuroimage 2019; 199:261-272. [PMID: 31163268 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.05.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research has demonstrated significant relationships between obesity and brain structure. Both phenotypes are heritable, but it is not known whether they are influenced by common genetic factors. We investigated the genetic etiology of the relationship between individual variability in brain morphology and BMIz using structural MRI in adolescent twins. METHOD The sample (n = 258) consisted of 54 monozygotic and 75 dizygotic twin pairs (mean(SD) age = 13.61(0.505), BMIz = 0.608(1.013). Brain structure (volume and density of gray and white matter) was assessed using VBM. Significant voxelwise heritability of brain structure was established using the Accelerated Permutation inference for ACE models (APACE) program, with structural heritability varying from 15 to 97%, depending on region. Bivariate heritability analyses were carried out comparing additive genetic and unique environment models with and without shared genetics on BMIz and the voxels showing significant heritability in the APACE analyses. RESULTS BMIz was positively related to gray matter volume in the brainstem and thalamus and negatively related to gray matter volume in the bilateral uncus and medial orbitofrontal cortex, gray matter density in the cerebellum, prefrontal lobe, temporal lobe, and limbic system, and white matter density in the brainstem. Bivariate heritability analyses showed that BMIz and brain structure share ∼1/3 of their genes and that ∼95% of the phenotypic correlation between BMIz and brain structure is due to shared additive genetic influences. These regions included areas related to decision-making, motivation, liking vs. wanting, taste, interoception, reward processing/learning, caloric evaluation, and inhibition. CONCLUSION These results suggested genetic factors are responsible for the relationship between BMIz and heritable BMIz related brain structure in areas related to eating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Kennedy
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, United States.
| | - Serguei V Astafiev
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Semyon Golosheykin
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Ozlem Korucuoglu
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Andrey P Anokhin
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, United States
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Hõrak P, Valge M, Fischer K, Mägi R, Kaart T. Parents of early-maturing girls die younger. Evol Appl 2019; 12:1050-1061. [PMID: 31080514 PMCID: PMC6503892 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
According to the life-history theory, rates of sexual maturation have coevolved with mortality rates so that individuals who mature faster tend to die younger. We used two data sets, providing different markers for the speed of pubertal development to test whether rates of sexual maturation of women predict the age at death of their parents. In the data set of Estonian schoolgirls born between 1936 and 1961, the rate of breast development predicted lifespan of both mothers and fathers (irrespectively of their socio-economic position), so that parents of rapidly maturing girls died at younger age. This finding supports the view that fast maturation rates in humans have coevolved with short lifespans and that such trade-offs can be detected as intergenerational phenotypic correlations in modern populations. Menarcheal age of participants of Estonian Biobank (born between 1925 and 1996) did not predict the age of death of their mothers; however, it did predict survival of their fathers, but only in environment where the genetic variation is exposed (families where at least one parent had tertiary education). In such families (where girls also matured 0.2-0.4 years earlier than in poorly educated families), 1-year delay in daughter's menarche corresponded to 9% lower hazard of father's death. Heritability of menarcheal age was also highest in well-educated families. The latter findings are consistent with the idea that genetic differences in the rate of pubertal maturation may be expressed most clearly in well-off families because in such families, the contribution of environmental variance to total phenotypic variance in menarcheal age is smallest. Our findings suggest that with global improvement and equalization of growth conditions, reductions of environmental variation in the rate of maturation increasingly expose the genetic differences in menarcheal age to selection. Under such conditions, selection on menarcheal age has a potential to affect the evolution of lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peeter Hõrak
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
| | - Markus Valge
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
| | | | - Reedik Mägi
- Estonian Genome CenterUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
| | - Tanel Kaart
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal SciencesEstonian University of Life SciencesTartuEstonia
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Fernández M, Pereira A, Corvalán C, Mericq V. Precocious pubertal events in Chilean children: ethnic disparities. J Endocrinol Invest 2019; 42:385-395. [PMID: 30047066 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-018-0927-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Puberty onset exhibits remarkable inter-individual and ethnic differences. 5% of Chileans are indigenous but puberty ethnic disparities have not been studied. We aim for evaluating precocious puberty prevalence in children with Mapuche ancestry vs non-indigenous Chilean children (according to their surnames). METHODS Longitudinal cohort study: 1003 children (50.2% girls) participating in the Growth and Obesity Chilean Cohort Study (GOCS) were studied. Annual anthropometry was measured since 4-7 years. Subsequently, Tanner staging and anthropometry were measured every 6 months. In girls, Tanner stage was assessed by breast palpation and in boys by testicular volume measurements. The cohort was stratified in three groups depending on Mapuche surname numbers as follows: (A) no indigenous surnames (n = 811), (B) one to two indigenous surnames (n = 147), and (C) three or more indigenous surnames (n = 45). We evaluated the prevalence of precocious thelarche, pubarche, menarche and gonadarche (testicular volume ≥ 4 ml-G2), using a cutoff age of 8 years in girls and 9 years in boys while controlling for socioeconomic status, body mass index, waist circumference, IGF-1 and DHEAS at 7 years. RESULTS In girls, no significant differences were observed. On the contrary, in boys, precocious gonadarche prevalence was higher in group C (29.2%) vs group A (6.0%) and vs group B (10.5%) (p =0.001, p = 0.004, respectively). Increased precocious gonadarche and pubarche risks in group C were observed even after adjustment [OR 7.31; 95% IC (2.32-23.51); p = 0.001] and [OR 6.17, 95% CI (1.62-23.49); p = 0.008], respectively. CONCLUSION Indigenous origin in Chile is an independent risk factor for precocious gonadarche and pubarche in boys but not in girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Fernández
- Institute of Maternal and Child Research (IDIMI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santa Rosa 1234, 2a Piso, PO Box 226-3, Santiago, Chile
| | - A Pereira
- Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - C Corvalán
- Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - V Mericq
- Institute of Maternal and Child Research (IDIMI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santa Rosa 1234, 2a Piso, PO Box 226-3, Santiago, Chile.
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Susman EJ, Marceau K, Dockray S, Ram N. Interdisciplinary Work Is Essential for Research on Puberty: Complexity and Dynamism in Action. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2019; 29:115-132. [PMID: 30869845 PMCID: PMC6844367 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Puberty is associated with changes in behavior and psychosocial well-being, and is important in lifelong health. We present five different facets regarding interdisciplinary research that are important to puberty. A short history of philosophical issues instrumental in promoting early interdisciplinary research is first presented. We discuss then what is hard and what is easy about interdisciplinary research, the purpose of which is to alert scientists to challenges and opportunities for interdisciplinary research on puberty. Readers then are introduced to advances and obstacles in interdisciplinary research on development. Recommendations for tailoring graduate education toward interdisciplinarity are introduced. Finally, issues related to publication, education of scientists, and policy makers are described. The report concludes with a discussion of funding and policy issues.
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Abstract
Delayed pubertal onset has many etiologies, but on average two-thirds of patients presenting with late puberty have self-limited (or constitutional) delayed puberty. Self-limited delayed puberty often has a strong familial basis. Segregation analyses from previous studies show complex models of inheritance, most commonly autosomal dominant, but also including autosomal recessive, bilineal, and X-linked. Sporadic cases are also observed. Despite this, the neuroendocrine mechanisms and genetic regulation remain unclear in the majority of patients with self-limited delayed puberty. Only rarely have mutations in genes known to cause aberrations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis been identified in cases of delayed puberty, and the majority of these are in relatives of patients with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH), for example in the FGFR1 and GNRHR genes. Using next generation sequencing in a large family with isolated self-limited delayed puberty, a pathogenic mutation in the CHH gene HS6ST1 was found as the likely cause for this phenotype. Additionally, a study comparing the frequency of mutations in genes that cause GnRH deficiency between probands with CHH and probands with isolated self-limited delayed puberty identified that a significantly higher proportion of mutations with a greater degree of oligogenicity were seen in the CHH group. Mutations in the gene IGSF10 have been implicated in the pathogenesis of familial late puberty in a large Finnish cohort. IGSF10 disruption represents a fetal origin of delayed puberty, with dysregulation of GnRH neuronal migration during embryonic development presenting for the first time in adolescence as late puberty. Some patients with self-limited delayed puberty have distinct constitutional features of growth and puberty. Deleterious variants in FTO have been found in families with delayed puberty with extremely low BMI and maturational delay in growth in early childhood. Recent exciting evidence highlights the importance of epigenetic up-regulation of GnRH transcription by a network of miRNAs and transcription factors, including EAP1, during puberty. Whilst a fascinating heterogeneity of genetic defects have been shown to result in delayed and disordered puberty, and many are yet to be discovered, genetic testing may become a realistic diagnostic tool for the differentiation of conditions of delayed puberty.
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Wood AC. Gene-Environment Interplay in Child Eating Behaviors: What the Role of "Nature" Means for the Effects of "Nurture". Curr Nutr Rep 2018; 7:294-302. [PMID: 30374755 PMCID: PMC6251706 DOI: 10.1007/s13668-018-0254-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This narrative review describes the evidence for both genetic and environmental influences on child appetitive traits and suggests ways of thinking about how these interact and correlate to influence how a child eats. RECENT FINDINGS Emerging evidence from social network analysis, and from longitudinal studies questioning the direction of association between parent feeding behaviors and child obesity risk, suggest that children's genes may shape the environmental risk for obesity that they are exposed to. There is strong evidence that child appetitive traits are both heritable and shaped by the environment. Instead of thinking about how genetic and environmental factors operate independently on each appetitive trait, research needs to expand the current paradigm to examine how genes and environments interact and shape each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis C Wood
- USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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Li H, Ji C, Yang L, Zhuang C. Heritability of serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate levels and pubertal development in 6∼18-year-old girls: a twin study. Ann Hum Biol 2016; 44:325-331. [PMID: 27658887 DOI: 10.1080/03014460.2016.1240232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), the most plentiful circulating adrenal hormone, may be considered as a marker of the onset of adrenarche and is involved in pubertal development and metabolic disorders. AIM The objective of this study is to determine the genetic and environmental influences on the variation of basal DHEAS levels and pubertal development in pubertal girls. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Three hundred and sixty twin girls aged 6-18-years were enrolled, consisting of 132 monozygotic pairs and 48 dizygotic pairs. Anthropometric and sexual characteristics were examined. Serum DHEAS was measured by RIA. Estimates of genetic and environmental components of variance were based on the theory of normal maximum likelihood in Mx package. RESULTS Serum DHEAS concentrations of PH-II and PH-III were significantly higher than Tanner stage PH-I (p < .05) and maintained higher levels in PH-IV ∼ V. Heritability of serum DHEAS estimated by model-fitting on data from 180-pairs of twins is 0.61 (0.52-0.70), the rest of the variance in DHEAS levels could be explained by unique environmental influences and age. The heritabilities of DHEAS in two pubertal sub-groups (PH-I and PH-II-V) are 0.82 (0.71-0.90) and 0.63 (0.52-0.74), respectively. The heritability index of menarche, breast development and pube development are 0.71, 0.35 and 0.45, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Serum DHEAS concentrations of pubertal girls are mainly influenced by genetic factors, especially during the period of adrenarche. The results stress the importance of research into the genetic regulation of the endocrine regulators involved in adrenarche and related metabolic disorders in girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjuan Li
- a School of Sport Science , Beijing Sport University , Beijing , PR China
| | - Chengye Ji
- b Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, Peking University Health Science Center , Beijing , PR China
| | - Liu Yang
- a School of Sport Science , Beijing Sport University , Beijing , PR China
| | - Cheng Zhuang
- a School of Sport Science , Beijing Sport University , Beijing , PR China
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Wohlfahrt-Veje C, Mouritsen A, Hagen CP, Tinggaard J, Mieritz MG, Boas M, Petersen JH, Skakkebæk NE, Main KM. Pubertal Onset in Boys and Girls Is Influenced by Pubertal Timing of Both Parents. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2016; 101:2667-74. [PMID: 27014950 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2016-1073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Epidemiological evidence on maternal and paternal heritability of the wide normal variation within pubertal timing is sparse. OBJECTIVE We aimed to estimate the impact of parental pubertal timing on the onset of puberty in boys and girls. DESIGN Annual pubertal examinations of healthy children in a longitudinal cohort study. Information on parental timing of puberty (earlier, comparable to, or later compared to peers) and menarche age was retrieved from questionnaires. PARTICIPANTS A total of 672 girls and 846 boys. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Age at onset of pubic hair (PH2+), breasts (B2+), and menarche in girls; and PH2+, genital stage (G2+), and testis >3 mL with orchidometer (Tvol3+) in boys. RESULTS In boys, pubertal onset was significantly associated with pubertal timing of both parents. PH2+ and Tvol3+ were earlier: -11.8 months (95% confidence interval, -16.8, -6.8)/-8.9 (-12.8, -4.9), and -9.5 (-13.9, -5.1)/-7.1 (-10.4, -3.7) if the father/mother, respectively, had early pubertal development compared to late. In girls, menarche was significantly associated with both parents' pubertal timing: -10.5 months (-15.9, -5.1)/-10.1 (-14.3, -6.0) if father/mother had early pubertal development compared to late. For the onset of PH2+ and B2+ in girls, estimates were -7.0 months (-12.6, -1.4) and -4.1 (-10.6, +2.4)/-6.7 (-11.0, -2.5), and -6.7 (-11.0, -2.0) for fathers/mothers, respectively. Maternal age of menarche was significantly associated with the onset of all pubertal milestones except PH2+ in girls. CONCLUSIONS Maternal as well as paternal pubertal timing was a strong determinant of age at pubertal onset in both girls and boys. Age at breast and pubic hair development in girls, which has declined most during recent years, seemed to be least dependent on heritability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Wohlfahrt-Veje
- University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; and International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Annette Mouritsen
- University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; and International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Casper P Hagen
- University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; and International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jeanette Tinggaard
- University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; and International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mikkel Grunnet Mieritz
- University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; and International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Malene Boas
- University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; and International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Holm Petersen
- University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; and International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niels E Skakkebæk
- University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; and International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Katharina M Main
- University Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; and International Center for Research and Research Training in Endocrine Disruption of Male Reproduction and Child Health (EDMaRC), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Corley RP, Beltz AM, Wadsworth SJ, Berenbaum SA. Genetic influences on pubertal development and links to behavior problems. Behav Genet 2015; 45:294-312. [PMID: 25903988 PMCID: PMC4963204 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-015-9719-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Genetic influences on adolescent psychological development are likely to be mediated and moderated by pubertal hormones. Combining genetic analyses with advanced models of pubertal development, we extended work on the measurement and psychological significance of puberty. We examined how genetic and environmental influences on puberty vary by the way that development is described (logistic versus linear models versus traditional methods) and the different aspects of puberty (adrenarche vs. gonadarche), and how genes and environment contribute to the covariation between different descriptions and aspects of puberty, and between pubertal development and behavior problems (substance use, age at sexual initiation). We also considered how puberty moderated the heritability of psychological outcomes (internalizing and externalizing problems), and sex differences. Participants from the Colorado Longitudinal Twin Study (403 girls, 395 boys) reported their pubertal development annually from ages 9 through 15; they and their parents reported their behavior in mid-to-late adolescence. There was a large genetic contribution to pubertal timing for both sexes no matter how it was measured, but findings for pubertal tempo varied by method. Genetic covariation accounted for most of the phenotypic correlations among different indicators of pubertal timing, and between pubertal timing and psychological outcome. We consider the implications of our results for understanding how pubertal hormones mediate or moderate genetic and environmental influences on psychological development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin P Corley
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Campus Box 447, Boulder, CO, 80309-0447, USA,
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20
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Abstract
In singletons, asthma may be associated with shorter height and delayed growth during adolescence. Yet, these studies do not account for heritability of asthma, puberty/menarche, and height. We aimed to study the association between asthma and puberty in boys and menarche in girls, and height, in a cohort of twins and subsequently in same-sex twin pairs discordant for asthma. From a Swedish twin cohort, parent- and self-reported data on asthma, puberty/menarche, and height were collected. Pubertal staging was established via the Petersen index. Logistic and linear regression was used to estimate associations between asthma and puberty/menarche and height, respectively. For within-pair analyses in twins discordant for asthma, conditional logistic and linear regression were used. Data on 2,658 (49.1% boys) twins were included. Among boys, asthma prevalence was 8.2% at 8-9 years and 10.2% at 13-14 years. Corresponding numbers for girls were 4.2% and 4.9%, respectively. In the entire cohort, no statistically significant associations were found between current asthma and puberty/menarche. Boys with asthma were shorter than boys without asthma at 8-9 years (on average, 1.86 [0.17-3.56] cm, p = .03) and at 13-14 years (on average, 2.94 [0.98-4.91] cm, p = .003) but not at 19-20 years. No such associations were found for girls. Within same-sex twin pairs discordant for asthma, no statistically significant associations were found for either sex. Twin boys, but not girls, with asthma were shorter than those without asthma. Non-statistically significant estimates from within-pair analyses suggest the association is partly confounded by genetic or familial environmental factors.
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Clarifying the associations between age at menarche and adolescent emotional and behavioral problems. J Youth Adolesc 2015; 44:922-39. [PMID: 25687264 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-015-0255-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Better understanding risk factors for the development of adolescent emotional and behavioral problems can help with intervention and prevention efforts. Previous studies have found that an early menarcheal age predicts several adolescent problems, including depressive symptoms, delinquency, and early age at first intercourse. Few studies, nevertheless, have explicitly tested (a) whether the associations with menarcheal age vary across racial/ethnic groups or (b) whether the sources of the associations are within-families (i.e., consistent with a direct, causal link) or only between-families (i.e., due to selection or confounding factors). The current study analyzed data from a nationally representative US Sample of females (N = 5,637). We examined whether race/ethnicity moderated the associations between early menarche and several adolescent problems by using multiple-group analyses and we examined the degree to which genetic and environmental factors shared by family members account for the associations by comparing sisters and cousins with differing menarcheal ages. Menarcheal age predicted subsequent depressive symptoms, delinquency, and early age at first intercourse in the population. The magnitudes of the associations were similar across all racial/ethnic groups for all outcomes. The within-family associations (i.e., when comparing siblings and cousins with different menarcheal age) were large and statistically significant when predicting early intercourse, but not the other outcomes. The findings suggest that selection or confounding factors account for the associations between menarcheal age and subsequent depressive symptoms and delinquency, whereas the independent association between menarcheal age and early age at first intercourse is consistent with a direct, causal effect.
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22
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Van Hulle CA, Moore MN, Shirtcliff EA, Lemery-Chalfant K, Goldsmith HH. Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Covariation Between DHEA and Testosterone in Adolescent Twins. Behav Genet 2015; 45:324-40. [PMID: 25633628 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-015-9709-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 01/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Although several studies have shown that pubertal tempo and timing are shaped by genetic and environmental factors, few studies consider to what extent endocrine triggers of puberty are shaped by genetic and environmental factors. Doing so moves the field from examining correlated developmentally-sensitive biomarkers toward understanding what drives those associations. Two puberty related hormones, dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone, were assayed from salivary samples in 118 MZ (62 % female), 111 same sex DZ (46 % female) and 103 opposite-sex DZ twin pairs, aged 12-16 years (M = 13.1, SD = 1.3). Pubertal status was assessed with a composite of mother- and self-reports. We used biometric models to estimate the genetic and environmental influences on the variance and covariance in testosterone and DHEA, with and without controlling for their association with puberty, and to test for sex differences. In males, the variance in testosterone and pubertal status was due to shared and non-shared environmental factors; variation in DHEA was due to genetic and non-shared environmental factors. In females, variance in testosterone was due to genetic and non-shared environmental factors; genetic, shared, and non-shared environmental factors contributed equally to variation in DHEA. In males, the testosterone-DHEA covariance was primarily due to shared environmental factors that overlapped with puberty as well as shared and non-shared environmental covariation specific to testosterone and DHEA. In females, the testosterone-DHEA covariance was due to genetic factors overlapping with pubertal status, and shared and non-shared environmental covariation specific to testosterone and DHEA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol A Van Hulle
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, 53705, USA,
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23
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Zhang L, Guindani M, Vannucci M. Bayesian Models for fMRI Data Analysis. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COMPUTATIONAL STATISTICS 2015; 7:21-41. [PMID: 25750690 PMCID: PMC4346370 DOI: 10.1002/wics.1339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a noninvasive neuroimaging method that provides an indirect measure of neuronal activity by detecting blood flow changes, has experienced an explosive growth in the past years. Statistical methods play a crucial role in understanding and analyzing fMRI data. Bayesian approaches, in particular, have shown great promise in applications. A remarkable feature of fully Bayesian approaches is that they allow a flexible modeling of spatial and temporal correlations in the data. This paper provides a review of the most relevant models developed in recent years. We divide methods according to the objective of the analysis. We start from spatio-temporal models for fMRI data that detect task-related activation patterns. We then address the very important problem of estimating brain connectivity. We also touch upon methods that focus on making predictions of an individual's brain activity or a clinical or behavioral response. We conclude with a discussion of recent integrative models that aim at combining fMRI data with other imaging modalities, such as EEG/MEG and DTI data, measured on the same subjects. We also briefly discuss the emerging field of imaging genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Zhang
- Department of Statistics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Michele Guindani
- Department of Biostatistics, UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77230, USA
| | - Marina Vannucci
- Department of Statistics, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
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Herting MM, Gautam P, Spielberg JM, Kan E, Dahl RE, Sowell ER. The role of testosterone and estradiol in brain volume changes across adolescence: a longitudinal structural MRI study. Hum Brain Mapp 2014; 35:5633-45. [PMID: 24977395 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2014] [Revised: 05/09/2014] [Accepted: 06/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been postulated that pubertal hormones may drive some neuroanatomical changes during adolescence, and may do so differently in girls and boys. Here, we use growth curve modeling to directly assess how sex hormones [testosterone (T) and estradiol (E₂)] relate to changes in subcortical brain volumes utilizing a longitudinal design. 126 adolescents (63 girls), ages 10 to 14, were imaged and restudied ∼2 years later. We show, for the first time, that best-fit growth models are distinctly different when using hormones as compared to a physical proxy of pubertal maturation (Tanner Stage) or age, to predict brain development. Like Tanner Stage, T and E₂ predicted white matter and right amygdala growth across adolescence in both sexes, independent of age. Tanner Stage also explained decreases in both gray matter and caudate volumes, whereas E₂ explained only gray matter decreases and T explained only caudate volume decreases. No pubertal measures were related to hippocampus development. Although specificity was seen, sex hormones had strikingly similar relationships with white matter, gray matter, right amygdala, and bilateral caudate volumes, with larger changes in brain volume seen at early pubertal maturation (as indexed by lower hormone levels), followed by less robust, or even reversals in growth, by late puberty. These novel longitudinal findings on the relationship between hormones and brain volume change represent crucial first steps toward understanding which aspects of puberty influence neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan M Herting
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine at USC/Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
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25
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this review is to summarize recent advances regarding the genetic components of the complex and coordinated process of puberty, an update of the genes implicated in disorders of puberty, the endocrinologic changes of puberty, and influences of environment in the light of our current understanding of the mechanism of the onset of puberty. RECENT FINDINGS The timing of puberty varies greatly in the general population among ethnic groups throughout the world, suggesting the genetic control of puberty. Several studies on the pathological conditions of pubertal onset provide unique information about the interactions of either the genetic susceptibility of or environmental influences on hypothalamic control of pubertal onset. However, these findings suggested that no isolated pathway or external factor is solely responsible for the neuroendocrine control of puberty. SUMMARY Puberty is initiated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone from the hypothalamus followed by a complex sequence of endocrine changes and is regulated by both genetic and environmental factors. New attempts to use genetics and genomics might enhance our understanding of the spectrum of pubertal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Ho Choi
- Department of Pediatrics, Asan Medical Center Children's Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Oh CM, Oh IH, Choi KS, Choe BK, Yoon TY, Choi JM. Relationship between body mass index and early menarche of adolescent girls in Seoul. J Prev Med Public Health 2012; 45:227-34. [PMID: 22880154 PMCID: PMC3412985 DOI: 10.3961/jpmph.2012.45.4.227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The object of this study was to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and early menarche in adolescent girls in Seoul. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted with 144 middle school students in Seoul who provided informed consent. We measured their body composition, and used the questionnaire survey method for data collection from November to December 2008. Past elemental body composition data were collected from elementary school health records of first year of middle school. RESULTS The early menarcheal group was taller and heavier than the late menarcheal group (p<0.05 from 8-12 years old). The body fat percentage (%), BMI were higher in the early menarcheal girls than the late-menarcheal girls (p<0.05, age at 13). In the result of multiple logistic regression, the BMI at the age of 8 and 9 was associated with early menarche after adjusting for birth weight, breast feeding and age at menarche of the mother (BMI at the age of 8: p for trend=0.01, BMI at the age of 9: p for trend=0.04). An increase in BMI from 7 to 8 year was associated with early menarche after adjusting for birth weight, breast feeding, age at menarche of the mother (p for trend=0.048). CONCLUSIONS The BMI at the age of 8 and 9 was associated with the early menarche of girls and increase in BMI from 7 to 8 year was associated with the early menarche of girls. These results suggest that BMI and increase in BMI before menarche cause early menarche. Although this study does not represent all Korean adolescent girls, it is one of the few studies that have investigated the temporal relationship between BMI and early menarche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Mo Oh
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Hoekstra RA, Bartels M, Boomsma DI. Heritability of Testosterone Levels in 12-Year-Old Twins and Its Relation to Pubertal Development. Twin Res Hum Genet 2012. [DOI: 10.1375/twin.9.4.558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe aim of this study was to estimate the heritability of variation in testosterone levels in 12-year-old children, and to explore the overlap in genetic and environmental influences on circulating testosterone levels and androgen-dependent pubertal development. Midday salivary testosterone samples were collected on 2 consecutive days in a sample of 183 unselected twin pairs. Androgen-induced pubertal development was assessed using self-report Tanner scales of pubic hair development (boys and girls) and genital development (boys). A significant contribution of genetic effects to the variance in testosterone levels was found. Heritability was approximately 50% in both boys and girls. The remaining proportion of the variance in testosterone levels could be explained by nonshared environmental influences. The relatively high correlation between testosterone levels of opposite-sex dizygotic twins suggests that sex differences in genes influencing variation in testosterone levels have not yet developed in preand early puberty. Variance in pubertal development was explained by a large genetic component, moderate shared environmental influences, and a small nonshared environmental effect. Testosterone levels correlated moderately (r = .31) with pubertal development; the covariance between testosterone levels and pubertal development was entirely accounted for by genetic influences.
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van den Berg SM, Beem L, Boomsma DI. Fitting Genetic Models Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo Algorithms With BUGS. Twin Res Hum Genet 2012. [DOI: 10.1375/twin.9.3.334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMaximum likelihood estimation techniques are widely used in twin and family studies, but soon reach computational boundaries when applied to highly complex models (e.g., models including gene-by-environment interaction and gene–environment correlation, item response theory measurement models, repeated measures, longitudinal structures, extended pedigrees). Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms are very well suited to fit complex models with hierarchically structured data. This article introduces the key concepts of Bayesian inference and MCMC parameter estimation and provides a number of scripts describing relatively simple models to be estimated by the freely obtainable BUGS software. In addition, inference using BUGS is illustrated using a data set on follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels with repeated measures. The examples provided can serve as stepping stones for more complicated models, tailored to the specific needs of the individual researcher.
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Crespi B. The evolutionary biology of child health. Proc Biol Sci 2011; 278:1441-9. [PMID: 21288946 PMCID: PMC3081756 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.2627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2010] [Accepted: 01/10/2011] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
I apply evolutionary perspectives and conceptual tools to analyse central issues underlying child health, with emphases on the roles of human-specific adaptations and genomic conflicts in physical growth and development. Evidence from comparative primatology, anthropology, physiology and human disorders indicates that child health risks have evolved in the context of evolutionary changes, along the human lineage, affecting the timing, growth-differentiation phenotypes and adaptive significance of prenatal stages, infancy, childhood, juvenility and adolescence. The most striking evolutionary changes in humans are earlier weaning and prolonged subsequent pre-adult stages, which have structured and potentiated maladaptations related to growth and development. Data from human genetic and epigenetic studies, and mouse models, indicate that growth, development and behaviour during pre-adult stages are mediated to a notable degree by effects from genomic conflicts and imprinted genes. The incidence of cancer, the primary cause of non-infectious childhood mortality, mirrors child growth rates from birth to adolescence, with paediatric cancer development impacted by imprinted genes that control aspects of growth. Understanding the adaptive significance of child growth and development phenotypes, in the context of human-evolutionary changes and genomic conflicts, provides novel insights into the causes of disease in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, Canada.
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30
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Ossa X, Munoz S, Amigo H, Bangdiwala S. Secular trend in age at menarche in indigenous and nonindigenous women in Chile. Am J Hum Biol 2010; 22:688-94. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.21068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
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Gajdos ZK, Henderson KD, Hirschhorn JN, Palmert MR. Genetic determinants of pubertal timing in the general population. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2010; 324:21-9. [PMID: 20144687 PMCID: PMC2891370 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2010.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2009] [Revised: 01/26/2010] [Accepted: 01/27/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Puberty is an important developmental stage during which reproductive capacity is attained. The timing of puberty varies greatly among healthy individuals in the general population and is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Although genetic variation is known to influence the normal spectrum of pubertal timing, the specific genes involved remain largely unknown. Genetic analyses have identified a number of genes responsible for rare disorders of pubertal timing such as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and Kallmann syndrome. Recently, the first loci with common variation reproducibly associated with population variation in the timing of puberty were identified at 6q21 in or near LIN28B and at 9q31.2. However, these two loci explain only a small fraction of the genetic contribution to population variation in pubertal timing, suggesting the need to continue to consider other loci and other types of variants. Here we provide an update of the genes implicated in disorders of puberty, discuss genes and pathways that may be involved in the timing of normal puberty, and suggest additional avenues of investigation to identify genetic regulators of puberty in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zofia K.Z. Gajdos
- Program in Genomics and Division of Endocrinology, Children’s Hospital. Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
| | - Katherine D. Henderson
- Department of Population Sciences, Division of Cancer Etiology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, California 91010
| | - Joel N. Hirschhorn
- Program in Genomics and Division of Endocrinology, Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
| | - Mark R. Palmert
- Division of Endocrinology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Paediatrics, The University of Toronto, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada, Phone: 416-813-6217, Fax: 416-813-6304
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32
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Gajdos ZKZ, Butler JL, Henderson KD, He C, Supelak PJ, Egyud M, Price A, Reich D, Clayton PE, Le Marchand L, Hunter DJ, Henderson BE, Palmert MR, Hirschhorn JN. Association studies of common variants in 10 hypogonadotropic hypogonadism genes with age at menarche. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2008; 93:4290-8. [PMID: 18728166 PMCID: PMC2582573 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2008-0981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Although the timing of puberty is a highly heritable trait, little is known about the genes that regulate pubertal timing in the general population. Several genes have been identified that, when mutated, cause disorders of delayed or absent puberty such as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH). OBJECTIVE Because severe variants in HH-related genes cause a severe puberty phenotype, we hypothesized that common subtle variation in these genes could contribute to the population variation in pubertal timing. DESIGN We assessed common genetic variation in 10 HH-related genes in 1801 women from the Hawaii and Los Angeles Multiethnic Cohort with either early (age<11 yr) or late (age>14 yr) menarche and in other replication samples. In addition to these common variants, we also studied the most frequently reported HH mutations to assess their role in the population variation in pubertal timing. SETTING AND PATIENTS/OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Within the general community, 1801 women from the Hawaii and Los Angeles Multiethnic Cohort participated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We assessed the association of genetic variation with age at menarche. RESULTS We found no significant association between any of the variants tested and age at menarche, although we cannot rule out modest effects of these variants or of other variants at long distances from the coding region. In several self-reported racial/ethnic groups represented in our study, we observed an association between estimated genetic ancestry and age at menarche. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that common variants near 10 HH-related loci do not play a substantial role in the regulation of age at menarche in the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zofia K Z Gajdos
- Program in Genomics and Division of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital, and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
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Silventoinen K, Haukka J, Dunkel L, Tynelius P, Rasmussen F. Genetics of pubertal timing and its associations with relative weight in childhood and adult height: the Swedish Young Male Twins Study. Pediatrics 2008; 121:e885-91. [PMID: 18381517 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2007-1615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous studies have suggested that the timing of puberty is associated with BMI in childhood and adult stature. Because the genetic background of these associations is not thoroughly investigated, we aimed to analyze it in a longitudinal twin cohort. METHODS We studied a Swedish cohort of 99 monozygotic and 76 dizygotic twin pairs born between 1973 and 1979 with weight and length or height measured annually from birth to age 18 years. Age at onset of pubertal growth spurt, age at peak height velocity, and final height were estimated by a parametric JPA2 growth model. The genetic architecture and mutual associations of these traits and childhood BMI were analyzed by linear structural equation modeling. RESULTS The heritability estimate was 0.91 for age at onset of pubertal growth spurt, 0.93 for age at peak height velocity, and 0.97 for adult height. Age at onset of pubertal growth spurt was negatively associated with BMI from 1 to 10 years of age and stature in early adulthood. For age at peak height velocity, we found similar associations with childhood BMI and stature in early adulthood. These associations were explained by common genetic factors. CONCLUSION Growth during puberty is strictly genetically regulated. These genetic factors also explain why boys who matured early had higher BMI through childhood and taller stature in early adulthood.
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Abstract
Puberty is a complex, coordinated biological process with multiple levels of regulation. Epidemiological observations suggest that the timing of pubertal events is a heritable trait, although environmental factors can modulate such genetic influence. The study of pathological states of early and late puberty has provided valuable insight into those genes that regulate gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) activity. The development of pulsatile release of GnRH secretion mediated through kisspeptin-1 activation of G-protein coupled receptor-54 appears to be a central event at the onset and during progression of puberty. Stimulating and restraining influences (e.g. in the form of glutamatergic and GABAergic neuronal inputs) are likely to influence the timing of this process. The study of extreme variants of 'normality', such as constitutional delay of growth and puberty and early puberty, may lead to the recognition of additional genes and pathways that can modulate both the timing of pubertal onset and its tempo.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Banerjee
- Paediatric Endocrinology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, UK
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35
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Zehr JL, Culbert KM, Sisk CL, Klump KL. An association of early puberty with disordered eating and anxiety in a population of undergraduate women and men. Horm Behav 2007; 52:427-35. [PMID: 17707381 PMCID: PMC2080669 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2007.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2007] [Revised: 06/06/2007] [Accepted: 06/09/2007] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Eating and anxiety disorders are more prevalent in females, increase during adolescence, and are associated with early pubertal development. This study examined whether timing of puberty onset is associated with disordered eating and anxiety in a large sample of postpubertal male and female undergraduate students. Self-report questionnaires assessed timing of puberty, disordered eating, anxiety, alcohol use, personality, and sensation seeking. Females scored significantly higher on measures of disordered eating (binge eating, dietary restraint, eating concerns, and weight and shape concerns) and anxiety (state and trait anxiety) than did males. In addition, early maturing women and men scored significantly higher on measures of disordered eating and anxiety than on time or late maturing women and men. Measures of alcohol use, sensation seeking, and personality characteristics differed in males and females but did not vary with pubertal timing. Findings suggest that early puberty is associated with disordered eating and anxiety, and this association may be due to an organizational effect of pubertal hormones. Despite important differences in body fat composition, both males and females experiencing early puberty had an increased incidence of disordered eating. The fact that early puberty was associated with increased eating and anxiety symptoms in both sexes suggests that puberty may influence these symptoms through both biological and psychosocial mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia L Zehr
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1116, USA.
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36
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Anderson CA, Duffy DL, Martin NG, Visscher PM. Estimation of variance components for age at menarche in twin families. Behav Genet 2007; 37:668-77. [PMID: 17680356 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-007-9163-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2006] [Accepted: 07/04/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Age at menarche (AAM), time of first menstrual period, is an important developmental milestone in females. Follow-up data from 1,302 adolescent twins and their sisters were used to partition the normal variation in AAM. The proportion of censoring was 14.1%. Both a standard and a survival analysis method were used. The best fitting model from the survival analysis method was an ACE model, where 57% and 23% of the variance in AAM was explained by additive genetic and environmental effects, respectively. The best fitting model when using a standard variance decomposition method was an AE model, where 82% of the variance was explained by additive genetic effects. The lack of correspondence between the results of the two methods was an artefact of the different ascertainment of AAM reports from siblings and twins. After the removal of the sibling sample, both methods indicated that an ACE model was the most likely. Standard and survival analysis methods estimated the proportion of variance explained by additive effects to be 0.50 and 0.54, and common environmental effects to be 0.31 and 0.29, respectively. We conclude that variation in AAM can be explained by additive genetic and common environmental components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl A Anderson
- Genetic Epidemiology Group, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane 4029, Australia.
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37
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van den Berg SM, Boomsma DI. The Familial Clustering of Age at Menarche in Extended Twin Families. Behav Genet 2007; 37:661-7. [PMID: 17541737 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-007-9161-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2006] [Accepted: 05/07/2007] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The timing of puberty is complex, possibly involving many genetic factors that may interact with environmental influences. Familial resemblance for age at menarche was studied in a sample of 4,995 female twins, 1,296 sisters, 2,946 mothers and 635 female spouses of male twins. They had indicated their age at menarche as part of a larger longitudinal survey. We assessed assortative mating for age at menarche, gene-environment interaction effects and estimated the heritability of individual differences in pubertal timing. There was significant evidence of gene-environment interaction, accounting for 1.5% of the variance. There was no indication of consistent mate assortment on age at menarche. Individual differences in age at menarche are highly heritable, with additive genetic factors explaining at least 70% of the true variation. An additional 1.5% of the variation can be explained by a genotype-environment interaction effect where environmental factors are more important in individuals genetically predisposed for late menarche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie M van den Berg
- Department of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, P.O. Box 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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38
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van den Berg SM, Glas CAW, Boomsma DI. Variance decomposition using an IRT measurement model. Behav Genet 2007; 37:604-16. [PMID: 17534709 PMCID: PMC1914301 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-007-9156-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2005] [Accepted: 04/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Large scale research projects in behaviour genetics and genetic epidemiology are often based on questionnaire or interview data. Typically, a number of items is presented to a number of subjects, the subjects’ sum scores on the items are computed, and the variance of sum scores is decomposed into a number of variance components. This paper discusses several disadvantages of the approach of analysing sum scores, such as the attenuation of correlations amongst sum scores due to their unreliability. It is shown that the framework of Item Response Theory (IRT) offers a solution to most of these problems. We argue that an IRT approach in combination with Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation provides a flexible and efficient framework for modelling behavioural phenotypes. Next, we use data simulation to illustrate the potentially huge bias in estimating variance components on the basis of sum scores. We then apply the IRT approach with an analysis of attention problems in young adult twins where the variance decomposition model is extended with an IRT measurement model. We show that when estimating an IRT measurement model and a variance decomposition model simultaneously, the estimate for the heritability of attention problems increases from 40% (based on sum scores) to 73%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie M van den Berg
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, Amsterdam 1081 BT, The Netherlands.
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Abstract
Puberty is accompanied by physical, psychological, and emotional changes adapted to ensure reproductive and parenting success. Human puberty stands out in the animal world for its association with brain maturation and physical growth. Its effects on health and wellbeing are profound and paradoxical. On the one hand, physical maturation propels an individual into adolescence with peaks in strength, speed, and fitness. Clinicians have viewed puberty as a point of maturing out of childhood-onset conditions. However, puberty's relevance for health has shifted with a modern rise in psychosocial disorders of young people. It marks a transition in risks for depression and other mental disorders, psychosomatic syndromes, substance misuse, and antisocial behaviours. Recent secular trends in these psychosocial disorders coincide with a growing mismatch between biological and social maturation, and the emergence of more dominant youth cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- George C Patton
- Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
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