This review explains the main effects exerted by sex steroids and other hormones on the adolescent brain. During the transition from puberty to adolescence, these hormones participate in the organizational phenomena that structurally shape some brain circuits. In adulthood, this will propitiate some specific behavior as responses to the hormones now activating those neural circuits. Adolescence is, then, a critical "organizational window" for the brain to develop adequately, since steroid hormones perform important functions at this stage. For this reason, the adolescent years are very important for future behaviors in human beings. Changes that occur or fail to occur during adolescence will determine behaviors for the rest of one's lifetime. Consequently, understanding the link between adolescent behavior and brain development as influenced by sex steroids and other hormones and compounds is very important in order to interpret various psycho-affective pathologies. Lay
Summary
The effect of steroid hormones on the development of the adolescent brain, and therefore, on adolescent behavior, is noticeable. This review presents their main activational and organizational effects. During the transition from puberty to adolescence, organizational phenomena triggered by steroids structurally affect the remodeling of brain circuits. Later in adulthood, these changes will be reflected in behavioral responses to such hormones. Adolescence can then be seen as a fundamental "organizational window" during which sex steroids and other hormones and compounds play relevant roles. The understanding of the relationship between adolescent behavior and the way hormones influence brain development help understand some psychological disorders.
sex steroid hormones adolescent brain, puberty brain development hormones, testosterone estrogen adolescent behavior, organizational hormonal effects brain, adolescent brain sexual differentiation, steroid hormones neural circuits, puberty critical period brain development, gonadal hormones cognitive development, adolescent hormonal brain maturation, sex differences brain development puberty
PMID 27833209 27833209 DOI 10.1080/00243639.2016.1211863 10.1080/00243639.2016.1211863
Cite this article
Vigil, P., Del Río, J. P., Carrera, B., ArÁnguiz, F. C., Rioseco, H., & Cortés, M. E. (2016). Influence of sex steroid hormones on the adolescent brain and behavior: An update. The Linacre Quarterly, 83(3), 308-329. https://doi.org/10.1080/00243639.2016.1211863
Vigil P, Del Río JP, Carrera B, ArÁnguiz FC, Rioseco H, Cortés ME. Influence of sex steroid hormones on the adolescent brain and behavior: An update. Linacre Q. 2016;83(3):308-329. doi:10.1080/00243639.2016.1211863
Vigil, P., et al. "Influence of sex steroid hormones on the adolescent brain and behavior: An update." The Linacre Quarterly, vol. 83, no. 3, 2016, pp. 308-329.
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