Hormonal changes of adolescence.

Pubescence is characterized by many physical, emotional, and hormonal changes. The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal system is maintained in a dormant state (with a low level of activity) during prepubertal years by higher central nervous system inhibition. With the onset of adolescence, the reproductive endocrine system becomes increasingly active. The attainment of sexual maturity in terms of secondary sexual characteristics, the production of spermatozoa in the male, and the cyclical female pattern with release of ova are end-points of the developmental process.