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Gonadarche

Meaning

The earliest phase of pubertal development, specifically marked by the maturation and activation of the gonads—the testes in males and the ovaries in females. This physiological event is initiated by the pulsatile release of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus, which subsequently stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH). Gonadarche leads directly to increased sex steroid production and the development of secondary sexual characteristics.