What causes precocious puberty?
Early puberty and sexual development may be caused by tumors or growths of the ovaries, adrenal glands, pituitary gland, or brain. Other causes may include central nervous system abnormalities, family history of the disease, or certain rare genetic syndromes. In many cases, no cause can be found for the disorder. Two types of precocious puberty include the following: • gonadotropin-dependent precocious puberty Also known as central precocious puberty, this form of precocious puberty is the most common, affecting most girls with the disorder and half of boys with the disorder. The puberty is triggered by the premature secretion of gonadotropins (hormones responsible for puberty). Researchers believe that the premature maturation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovaries axis causes this disorder in girls. However, in the majority of cases, no cause for the early secretion of gonadotropin hormones can be found. • gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty This is a form of precocious pubert
