Neuroendocrinology of puberty

Attainment of mammalian reproductive capacity requires the activation of a handful of neurons in the basal forebrain that produce the decapeptide gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH reaches the pituitary gland via the portal system and stimulates the synthesis and release of gonadotropin hormones, which in turn promote gonadal function. The pubertal increase in GnRH release is brought about by coordinated changes in excitatory and inhibitory inputs to the GnRH neuronal network and by the activation of reciprocal neuron-glia communication pathways involving growth factors and neurotransmitters. Integration of this regulatory network requires a higher level of control exerted by transcriptional regulators.