Gonadotropic axis deficiency: A neurodevelopmental disorder

Abstract

The onset of puberty remains a mysterious mechanism despite several recent major breakthroughs in the field of neuroendocrinology. Novel neuropeptides, along with new regulation networks of gene expression, have been described; however, the intimate molecular mechanisms defining the age of puberty onset have yet to be characterized. This article proposes to broaden the reflection surrounding the mechanisms that determine the onset of puberty as a developmental process, similar to those described for other neuronal networks. This new and original approach will bring further insight into the intricate interactions between the brain and the gonads that drive and maintain normal reproductive function.