Early Pubertal Timing Research Articles

Delinquency During Puberty as a Biosocial Behavior: Time-Varying Effects of Social Contexts on Girls’ Delinquency in South Korea

Using Time-Varying Effect Model (TVEM) to analyze five waves of nationally representative South Korean panel data, from Grades 8 to 12, this study investigates how the effects of delinquent peers, parental care, and compliance with school rules on delinquency likelihood change across adolescence for girls with early versus late pubertal timing. The results reveal complex nonlinear trajectories that differ by puberty group: delinquent peer influence becomes more pronounced for late maturers after Grade 10, parental care consistently suppresses delinquency only for early maturers, and school rule compliance relates negatively to delinquency in late maturers but positively in early maturers. The findings challenge the partial application of the maturity gap hypothesis to early maturers only, highlighting how both early and late maturers experience strain from off-time development but negotiate it differently through shifting interactions with key social contexts over adolescence.

Maternal stress in pregnancy and pubertal timing in girls and boys: a cohort study

To investigate whether maternal stress in pregnancy is associated with pubertal timing in girls and boys and to explore potential mediation by childhood body mass index (BMI) and childhood psychosocial stress. Cohort study. Not applicable. In total, 14,702 girls and boys from the Puberty Cohort, nested within the Danish National Birth Cohort. Maternal stress was obtained from a computer-assisted telephone interview in gestational weeks 30-32 as maternal life stress and emotional distress in pregnancy using questions on the basis of validated screening tools. Maternal life stress and emotional distress in pregnancy were analyzed separately and in an interaction analysis. Pubertal timing was measured half-yearly from age 11 years and throughout pubertal development and assessed as Tanner stages 1-5 (breast and pubic hair development in girls and genital and pubic hair development in boys), menarche in girls, voice break and first ejaculation in boys, and occurrence of acne and axillary hair in both girls and boys. A combined estimate for overall pubertal timing was derived using Huber-White robust variance estimation. Mean differences in age at attaining the pubertal milestones according to prenatal exposure to no (reference), low-, moderate-, or high-maternal stress in pregnancy were estimated using a multivariable censored regression model. Potential mediation by childhood BMI and childhood psychosocial stress was investigated in separate models. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, prenatal exposure to high-maternal life stress (combined estimate: -1.8 months [95% CI, -2.7 to -0.8] and -0.9 months [95% CI, -1.8 to 0.0]), high maternal emotional distress (combined estimate: -1.5 months [95% CI, -2.5 to -0.5] and -1.7 months [95% CI, -2.8 to -0.7]), and both high-maternal life stress and emotional distress (combined estimate: -2.8 months [95% CI, -4.2, to -1.4] and -1.7 months [95% CI, -3.1 to -0.2]) were associated with earlier pubertal timing in girls and boys, respectively. The associations were not mediated by childhood BMI or childhood psychosocial stress. Prenatal exposure to maternal stress in pregnancy was associated with earlier pubertal timing in girls and boys in a dose-dependent manner. The associations were not mediated by childhood BMI or childhood psychosocial stress.

420 Computable Phenotyping with “Big Data” as a Foundation for Artificial Intelligence Algorithm Construction: Puberty as a Transdisciplinary Case Example

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Artificial intelligence (AI) depends on quality machine learning (ML) algorithms constructed with high-quality training data. This TL1 trainee project develops a disease-agnostic computable phenotype framework for ML algorithm construction, modeling male puberty as a case example. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: A computable phenotype of male puberty was constructed to answer the question: “Does early pubertal timing increase the risk of developing type II diabetes (T2D) in males?” A computable phenotype of males < 18 years old was created in the TriNetX© Diamond Network utilizing Boolean operator data queries. TriNetX© contains patient electronic health record information (ICD-10 diagnoses, anthropometric measures). An exploratory analysis of patient counts reflecting various computable phenotypes allowed for outcome (T2D) comparison of males diagnosed with precocious puberty (E30.1, ICD code for early pubertal timing) to those without, controlling for body mass index (BMI). RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Subjects (n=12,996,132) displayed the following computable phenotype: Male, < 18 years old, without ever having a BMI documented >85th percentile. Males diagnosed with precocious puberty (E30.1) were 6.89 times more likely to develop T2D when aged 14-18 years old than those without (OR 6.89, 95% CI: 5.17-9.19, p<0.0001). Next steps involve training a ML model on each computable phenotype groupings’ health data, with anticipated results identifying underlying salient pathophysiologic variables. A generalized computable phenotype approach is further developed to: 1) explore clinical questions in large databases like TriNetX©, and 2) model disease development with AI/ML algorithm construction. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Computed phenotypes reveal males with precocious puberty may have increased T2D risk. Next steps utilize subject data to train an AI/ML algorithm, model development to identify salient pathophysiologic variables, and synthesize a generalized AI/ML developmental research framework for dissemination.

Integrating context in the examination of pubertal timing effects on disordered eating among Black and Latinx girls.

Earlier pubertal onset has been associated with increased disordered eating symptoms in cisgender girls. Although this finding has been replicated across studies of disordered eating, most studies have focused on white samples. The lack of studies is surprising given that early pubertal timing may impact disordered eating risk in Black and Latinx girls differently due to trends of earlier pubertal onset in these groups and increased stressors related to interpersonal and structural racism and economic marginalization. Current methods of examining pubertal timing among Black and Latinx girls may also not fully capture their experience. Contextual factors (e.g., neighborhood and school racial/ethnic composition) may influence how minoritized girls both perceive and are affected by their pubertal timing. Moreover, factors such as ethnic-racial identity development and experiences of discrimination may be important mechanisms explaining the association between pubertal timing and disordered eating risk. This paper aims to provide a brief overview of studies examining pubertal timing and disordered eating risk among Black and Latinx girls in the US and to discuss recommendations for future research that integrate contextual factors in the examination of pubertal timing and its effects. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Early pubertal timing has been associated with increased risk of disordered eating symptoms among cisgender girls; however, studies have been limited due to the use of predominantly white samples. The article provides a brief overview of findings related to pubertal timing effects among Black and Latinx girls, discusses considerations for the measurement of pubertal timing, and highlights the need for inclusion of contextual factors in future research.

Concurrent and long-term effects of early pubertal timing on alcohol, cigarette, and cannabis use from adolescence to adulthood.

Early pubertal timing is a risk factor for substance use during adolescence. Fewer studies investigated whether early pubertal timing continues to predict substance use in late adolescence and adulthood, suggesting that long-term effects of pubertal timing vary across substances and by biological sex. Finally, existing studies on pubertal timing and substance use in adulthood involved predominantly White samples. Thus, this longitudinal study examined the concurrent and long-term effects of pubertal timing on alcohol, cigarette, and cannabis use together with sex differences in predominantly Black youth from the United States. The sample included 603 youth (52% male, 80% Black) who were interviewed in early adolescence (mean age: 13.2), late adolescence (mean age: 17.6), and young adulthood (mean age: 27.7). During early adolescence, youth self-reported their physical maturation based on Tanner scores, which were adjusted for age and used as indicators of pubertal timing. Youth self-reported their substance use at each time point. Early pubertal timing was associated with higher odds of alcohol use during early adolescence but did not predict alcohol use during late adolescence or adulthood. While early pubertal timing did not predict cigarette use at any time point, early pubertal timing predicted greater odds for cannabis use during early adolescence and higher rates of cannabis use in adulthood. Moreover, early pubertal timing predicted greater risk for couse of alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis in adulthood. No effects differed by sex. These findings suggest that links between pubertal timing and substance use vary across substances and developmental periods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for Concurrent and Long-Term Effects of Early Pubertal Timing on Alcohol, Cigarette, and Cannabis Use From Adolescence to Adulthood

Supplemental Material for Concurrent and Long-Term Effects of Early Pubertal Timing on Alcohol, Cigarette, and Cannabis Use From Adolescence to Adulthood

Correlates of Menarcheal Age in a Psychiatric Sample of Adolescents.

Early pubertal timing is associated with more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and increased risk for psychopathology during adolescence. However, most work to date has used community or epidemiological samples, and it remains unclear whether these associations persist in acute clinical samples. The present study examined associations between age at menarche and ACEs, psychiatric symptoms, and emotion regulation difficulties in a sample of N = 140 adolescents on a psychiatric inpatient unit. Youth with early menarche reported higher levels of depressive symptoms, more severe suicidal ideation, and greater difficulty with emotion regulation than youth with normative age at menarche. There was a marginal effect of youth with early menarche reporting more ACEs and more anxiety symptoms. These results suggest menarcheal age, and ACEs may be useful risk factors to assess in inpatient settings to predict risk for more severe outcomes, and future research on pubertal timing in high acuity settings is warranted.

Exploring sex differences in trajectories of pubertal development and mental health following early adversity

Despite evidence that early life adversity (ELA) affects mental health in adolescence, we know little about sex differences in how distinct dimensions of adversity affect development and their corresponding effects on mental health. In this three-wave longitudinal study, 209 participants (118 females; ages 9–13 years at baseline) provided objective (salivary hormones, BMI, age of menarche) and subjective (perceived gonadal and adrenal status) measures of puberty and physical development, and reported on levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms at all timepoints. Participants also reported lifetime exposure to three distinct types of ELA: deprivation, threat, and unpredictability. Using generalized additive mixed models, we tested within each sex whether dimensions of adversity were associated with longitudinal changes in measures of pubertal and physical development, and whether these indices of development were associated with trajectories of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In females, experiences of threat and unpredictability were significantly associated with earlier pubertal timing (e.g., age of menarche) whereas experiences of deprivation were associated with steeper increases in BMI; further, faster pubertal tempo (i.e., steeper increases in pubertal stage) was associated with increases in internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In males, however, ELA was not associated with any measures of pubertal or physical development or with symptoms. Together, our results suggest that adverse experiences during early life have sex-selective consequences for pubertal and physical maturation and mental health trajectories in ways that may elucidate why females are at higher risk for mental health difficulties during puberty, particularly following exposure to unpredictable and threatening experiences of adversity.

“Puberty age gap”: new method of assessing pubertal timing and its association with mental health problems

Puberty is linked to mental health problems during adolescence, and in particular, the timing of puberty is thought to be an important risk factor. This study developed a new measure of pubertal timing that was built upon multiple pubertal features and their nonlinear changes over time (i.e., with age), and investigated its association with mental health problems. Using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) cohort (N ~ 9900, aged 9–13 years), we employed three different models to assess pubertal timing. These models aimed to predict chronological age based on: (i) observed physical development, (ii) hormone levels (testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA]), and (iii) a combination of both physical development and hormones. To achieve this, we utilized a supervised machine learning approach, which allowed us to train the models using the available data and make age predictions based on the input pubertal features. The accuracy of these three models was evaluated, and their associations with mental health problems were examined. The new pubertal timing model performed better at capturing age variance compared to the more commonly used linear regression method. Further, the model based on physical features accounted for the most variance in mental health, such that earlier pubertal timing was associated with higher symptoms. This study demonstrates the utility of our new model of pubertal timing and suggests that, relative to hormonal measures, physical measures of pubertal maturation have a stronger association with mental health problems in early adolescence.

Pubertal development at age 14 is associated with male adolescents’ combustible cigarette smoking and dual use, but not with e-cigarette use – Findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study

BackgroundAdolescent nicotine exposure via electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is a global health concern. Pubertal development earlier than peers increases the risk of tobacco smoking compared to peers experiencing on-time or late maturation, yet relationships of pubertal timing with e-cigarettes are unknown. We examine whether early pubertal timing is associated with risk for e-cigarette use, tobacco cigarettes, or both by age 14. MethodsThe Millennium Cohort Study follows a representative cohort of 18,552 9-month-old children born 2000–2002 in the United Kingdom. Our sample includes 11,445 adolescents (5697 boys, 5748 girls) classified at age 14 as early, on-time, or late in pubertal development timing (PDT) relative to same-age, same-sex peers using the Pubertal Development Scale. Outcomes were use of e-cigarettes, tobacco cigarettes, or both by age 14. We included childhood liability confounders and demographics measured from age 7–11. ResultsFor girls, no PDT differences in age 14 e-cigarette or tobacco cigarette use were observed. All relative to on-time PDT boys, early maturing boys’ odds of tobacco cigarette use were 59% higher (OR=1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.08,2.35), and odds of dual-use were 49% higher (OR=1.49, CI=1.11,1.99), both compared to odds of never use. Among late PDT boys, dual-use odds were lower than never use by 35% (OR=0.65, CI=0.47,0.91) and lower than e-cigarette use only by 36% (OR=0.64, CI=0.42,0.97). ConclusionsAt age 14, PDT was not associated with e-cigarette use for either sex, yet it was linked with tobacco use and dual use among boys.

Long-term Neighborhood Poverty Effects on Internalizing Symptoms in Adolescents: Mediated Through Allostatic Load and Pubertal Timing

PurposeThe long-term effect of neighborhood poverty on internalizing symptoms in adolescents and the biological mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. We defined neighborhood poverty at the village level in two dimensions: intensity (i.e., poverty rate) and duration. This study investigated how the poverty rate and duration of exposure to neighborhood poverty interact to predict internalizing symptoms in adolescents through biological mechanisms (i.e., allostatic load and early pubertal timing). MethodsA total of 418 adolescents (50.2% girls; 11–14 years old; mean age = 12.57 years) living in rural China participated in two waves of data collection. Path analysis was conducted to examine the mediating role of allostatic load and pubertal timing in the relationship between the duration of exposure to neighborhood poverty and internalizing symptoms. Moreover, the interactive effect between the poverty rate and duration of neighborhood poverty on the allostatic load was tested. ResultsThe positive association between the duration of exposure to neighborhood poverty and internalizing symptoms of adolescents was explained by elevated allostatic load and early pubertal timing after adjusting for gender, age, prior family socioeconomic states and internalizing symptoms. The duration in neighborhood poverty was a stronger predictor of allostatic load for adolescents living in high poverty rate neighborhoods than for those living in low poverty rate neighborhoods. DiscussionNeighborhood poverty gets “under the skin” through biological pathways and affects internalizing symptoms among adolescents. The findings highlight the importance of considering different dimensions of neighborhood poverty (e.g., intensity and duration) on adolescents' health.

SAT348 Changes In BMI Z-score After Presentation For Early Breast Budding Is Associated With Rapidly Progressive Puberty And Treatment With GnRH Analogues

Abstract Disclosure: H. Jung: None. J. Cho: None. K. Shim: None. Introduction: Childhood overweight and obesity are associated with earlier pubertal timing, especially in girls. We aimed to identify different body mass index (BMI) trajectories in patients presenting for breast budding between 5 and 7 years of age, and investigated whether the change in BMI z-scores during follow up is associated with rapid progression of puberty and eventual treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed girls who presented with breast budding at 5 to 7 years of age, between March 2016 and May 2021 at a single center. Those 206 girls, who had more than 3 follow up BMI measurements to more than 9 years of age were included in the study. The girls were grouped according to whether BMI z-scores increased or decreased/remain unchanged overall during follow-up. The BMI z-score changes over time (age) were also assessed for latent class trajectories. The risk of progression to rapid progressive puberty requiring treatment with GnRH analogues was analyzed according to overall changes in BMI z-scores and the different BMI trajectory groups, with adjustment for birthweight, gestational age, maternal menarche, maternal height, as well as the initial age, height, and bone age at presentation. Results: The mean age at presentation for breast budding was 7.1±0.7 years. A greater proportion of girls whose BMI z-scores increased during follow up, required treatment with GnRH analogues (n=53, 64%) compared to those whose BMI z-scores decreased or remained unchanged (n=54, 44%). Girls with increases in BMI z-scores during follow up (n=83) had increased risk (OR 4.68, 95% CI 1.88-11.63, p = 0.001) for rapid progressive puberty and treatment with GnRH analogues compared to those girls with decreases/no changes (n=123) in BMI z-scores, even after adjustment for covariates. Further analysis showed that increases in BMI z-scores even in those of normal weight status, were associated with increased OR (4.88) for treatment. Through latent class mixed modelling analysis, we identified 2 different trajectories (high and increasing BMI z-scores, n=72; and decreasing BMI z-scores, n=134). Risk for rapid progression of puberty and eventual treatment with GnRH analogues did not differ significantly between the different latent class trajectories. Conclusions: Increases in BMI z-scores during the follow up period after presentation for early breast budding may be associated with increased risk for rapid progression of puberty and treatment with GnRH analogues. Analysis of a larger group of patients may allow for better assessment of latent class BMI z-score trajectories. Presentation: Saturday, June 17, 2023

Increase in incidence of anorexia nervosa among 10- to 14-year-old girls: A nationwide study in the Netherlands over four decades.

This primary care study examined time trends in the incidence of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) in the Netherlands across four decades. A nationwide network of general practitioners, serving approximately 1% of the total Dutch population, recorded newly diagnosed patients with AN and BN in their practices from 1985 to 2019 (2,890,978 person-years). DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were consistently used and the same psychiatrist was responsible for the final diagnostic decision. Incidence rates (IRs) were calculated for: the total population (all ages), females overall, and females per 5-year age category. Time trends in IRs were analyzed using JoinPoint regression analyses. In four decades, the incidence of AN among 10- to 14-year-old females increased significantly from 8.6 to 38.6 per 100,000 person-years (average period percentage change [APPC] = 56.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.5-130.6. The overall incidence of AN was stable, with IRs ranging from 6.0 (95% CI = 4.3-8.1) to 8.4 (95% CI = 6.4-10.8). The IR of BN decreased significantly from 8.7 (95% CI = 6.7-11.0) to 3.2 (95% CI = 2.0-4.9) in the 2000s, before leveling off in the 2010s (IR 3.2; 95% CI = 2.0-4.8). The incidence of AN among 10- to 14-year-old girls increased significantly over four decades. Both biological and sociocultural factors, for example, early pubertal timing and the impact of social media, might explain this. In other age groups and overall, the incidence of AN remained stable. The significant decrease of the incidence of BN in the previous decades halted in the last decade. An important finding of the present study is that for 10- to 14-year-old girls, the risk for developing anorexia nervosa has increased significantly over 40 years. More healthcare facilities for younger people are needed, and prevention programs could include social media use. For bulimia nervosa, the general decrease in the occurrence of new cases has halted in the 2010s.

Pubertal timing, neighborhood income, and mental health in boys and girls: Findings from the adolescent brain cognitive development study

Early pubertal timing is associated with youth mental health problems, with association amplified or mitigated by characteristics of the residential neighborhood. Yet, limited research simultaneously examines the roles of neighborhood context and biological sex in this association. This study fills this research gap by examining sex-specific associations between pubertal timing and neighborhood income with youth mental health problems (internalizing and externalizing symptoms) in a longitudinal cohort of early adolescents in the United States (US). Participants were 9201 youth aged 9 or 10 years from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Pubertal timing was the average of parent- and youth-reported pubertal status standardized within sex and age. Outcome variables were youths’ internalizing and externalizing symptoms assessed at 1-year follow-up via parent survey. We evaluated interaction effects between pubertal timing and neighborhood income in a series of sex-stratified linear mixed effect models, adjusted for family and personal sociodemographic characteristics. In girls, earlier pubertal timing was associated with more internalizing (β = 0.06, p < 0.001) and externalizing problems (β = 0.07, p < 0.001) at 1-year follow-up, not moderated by neighborhood income. In boys, earlier pubertal timing was associated with more externalizing problems among youth living in high-income neighborhoods, but not among those in low-income neighborhoods (interaction-p = 0.006). Results suggest that pubertal timing may affect youth mental health differentially in boys and girls, depending on the neighborhood contexts. These findings highlight the importance of both biological and social forces in shaping adolescent mental health and, thus, have public health and clinical implications for health promotion.

The Social Determinants of Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Adolescents Experiencing Early Puberty

PurposeEarlier pubertal timing is an important predictor of emotional and behavioral problems during adolescence. The current study undertook a comprehensive investigation of whether the social environment can buffer or amplify the associations between pubertal timing and emotional and behavioral problems. MethodsResearch questions were examined in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a large population representative sample in the United States. We examined interactions between pubertal timing and the shared effects of a range of proximal and distal social environmental influences (i.e., parents, peers, schools, neighborhoods, socioeconomic status) in 10- to 13-year-olds. ResultsResults revealed significant interaction between timing and proximal social influences (i.e., the “microsystem”) in predicting emotional and behavioral problems. In general, adolescents with earlier pubertal timing and unfavorable (high levels of negative and low levels of positive) influences in the microsystem exhibited greater problems. Both males and females exhibited such associations for rule-breaking problems, while females alone exhibited associations for depressive problems. Results also illustrate the relative strength of each social context at moderating risk for emotional and behavioral problems in earlier versus later pubertal maturers. DiscussionThese findings highlight the importance of proximal social influences in buffering vulnerability for emotional and behavioral problems related to earlier puberty. Findings also illustrate the broad implications of latent environmental factors, reflecting common variance of multiple social influences that typically covary with one another.

The Effects of Pubertal Timing on Academic Performance in Adolescence and Career Success in Adulthood: Evidence from a 16-year Longitudinal Study.

Previous research showed inconsistent effects of pubertal timing on adolescent academic performance and adult career success. Moreover, the relative importance of biological vs. perceived pubertal timing has not been examined. This study examined effects of biological and perceived pubertal timing on academic performance throughout adolescence and career success in adulthood together with sex differences in an understudied population of pre-dominantly Black youth from lower income families. The sample included 704 youth (52% male, 76% Black, 22% White) interviewed at four time points (Mean ages: 11.8, 13.2, 17.6, and 27.7 years). The results from a mediation path model showed that among males, perceived off-time pubertal timing uniquely predicted lower concurrent academic performance as well as lower objective career success in adulthood; this effect was mediated by lower academic performance throughout adolescence. Additionally, results from bivariate correlation analyses showed associations between early biological pubertal timing and lower concurrent academic performance in males and early perceived pubertal timing and lower concurrent academic performance among females. These findings contribute to the understanding of more nuanced links between pubertal timing, academic performance and subsequent career success in an understudied population of pre-dominantly Black youth from lower income families.

Early life adversity predicts an accelerated cellular aging phenotype through early timing of puberty.

The current study examined if early adversity was associated with accelerated biological aging, and if effects were mediated by the timing of puberty. In early mid-life, 187 Black and 198 White (Mage = 39.4, s.d.age = 1.2) women reported on early abuse and age at first menstruation (menarche). Women provided saliva and blood to assess epigenetic aging, telomere length, and C-reactive protein. Using structural equation modeling, we created a latent variable of biological aging using epigenetic aging, telomere length, and C-reactive protein as indicators, and a latent variable of early abuse using indicators of abuse/threat events before age 13, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. We estimated the indirect effects of early abuse and of race on accelerated aging through age at menarche. Race was used as a proxy for adversity in the form of systemic racism. There was an indirect effect of early adversity on accelerated aging through age at menarche (b = 0.19, 95% CI 0.03-0.44), in that women who experienced more adversity were younger at menarche, which was associated with greater accelerated aging. There was also an indirect effect of race on accelerated aging through age at menarche (b = 0.25, 95% CI 0.04-0.52), in that Black women were younger at menarche, which led to greater accelerated aging. Early abuse and being Black in the USA may both induce a phenotype of accelerated aging. Early adversity may begin to accelerate aging during childhood, in the form of early pubertal timing.

Corticolimbic connectivity mediates the relationship between pubertal timing and mental health problems.

Undergoing puberty ahead of peers ('earlier pubertal timing') is an important risk factor for mental health problems during early adolescence. The current study examined pathways between pubertal timing and mental health via connectivity of neural systems implicated in emotional reactivity and regulation (specifically corticolimbic connections) in 9- to 14-year-olds. Research questions were examined in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a large population representative sample in the United States. Linear mixed models examined associations between pubertal timing and resting-state corticolimbic connectivity. Significant connections were examined as potential mediators of the relationship between pubertal timing and mental health (withdrawn depressed and rule-breaking) problems. Exploratory analyses interrogated whether the family environment moderated neural risk patterns in those undergoing puberty earlier than their peers. Earlier pubertal timing was related to decreased connectivity between limbic structures (bilateral amygdala and right hippocampus) and the cingulo-opercular network, left amygdala and somatomotor (mouth) network, as well as between the left hippocampus and ventral attention network and visual network. Corticolimbic connections also mediated the relationship between earlier pubertal timing and increased withdrawn depressed problems (but not rule-breaking problems). Finally, parental acceptance buffered against connectivity patterns that were implicated in withdrawn depressed problems in those undergoing puberty earlier than their peers. Findings highlight the role of decreased corticolimbic connectivity in mediating pathways between earlier pubertal timing and withdrawn depressed problems, and we present preliminary evidence that the family environment may buffer against these neural risk patterns during early adolescence.

The estimated effect of season and vitamin D in the first trimester on pubertal timing in girls and boys: a cohort study and an instrumental variable analysis.

Season of birth has been associated with age at menarche. Maternal vitamin D levels in pregnancy may explain this effect. We investigated whether the season of first trimester or maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] levels were associated with pubertal timing in children. We conducted a follow-up study of 15 819 children born in 2000-03 from the Puberty Cohort, nested in the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). Mean differences in attaining numerous pubertal markers, including a combined estimate for the average age at attaining all pubertal markers, were estimated for low (November-April) relative to high (May-October) sunshine exposure season in the first trimester using multivariable interval-censored regression models. Moreover, we conducted a two-sample instrumental variable analysis using season as an instrument for maternal first-trimester 25(OH)D3 plasma levels obtained from a non-overlapping subset (n = 827) in the DNBC. For the combined estimate, girls and boys of mothers who had their first trimester during November-April had earlier pubertal timing than girls and boys of mothers whose first trimester occurred during May-October: -1.0 months (95% CI: -1.7 to -0.3) and -0.7 months (95% CI: -1.4 to -0.1), respectively. In the instrumental variable analysis, girls and boys also had earlier pubertal timing: respectively, -1.3 months (95% CI: -2.1 to -0.4) and -1.0 months (95% CI: -1.8 to -0.2) per SD (22 nmol/L) decrease in 25(OH)D3. Both first pregnancy trimester during November-April and lower 25(OH)D3 were associated with earlier pubertal timing in girls and boys.

Pubertal timing and adolescent outcomes: investigating explanations for associations with a genetically informed design.

Psychopathology and risky behaviors increase during adolescence, and understanding which adolescents are most at risk informs prevention and intervention efforts. Pubertal timing relative to same-sex, same-age peers is a known correlate of adolescent outcomes among both boys and girls. However, it remains unclear whether this relation is better explained by a plausible causal process or unobserved familial liability. We extended previous research by examining associations between pubertal timing in early adolescence (age 14) and outcomes in later adolescence (age 17) in a community sample of 2,510 twins (49% boys, 51% girls). Earlier pubertal timing was associated with more substance use, risk behavior, internalizing and externalizing problems, and peer problems in later adolescence; these effects were small, consistent with previous literature. Follow-up co-twin control analyses indicated that within-twin-pair differences in pubertal timing were not associated with within-twin-pair differences in most adolescent outcomes after accounting for shared familial liability, suggesting that earlier pubertal timing and adolescent outcomes both reflect familial risk factors. Biometric models indicated that associations between earlier pubertal timing and negative adolescent outcomes were largely attributable to shared genetic liability. Although earlier pubertal timing was associated with negative adolescent outcomes, our results suggests that these associations did not appear to be caused by earlier pubertal timing but were likely caused by shared genetic influences.