May 09 2008
The Adolescent Years: Bodies in Motion
From a physical standpoint, the main event of adolescence is puberty, which serves as the physiological bridge between childhood and adulthood.
Puberty: The stage of maturation in which an individual becomes physiologically capable of sexual reproduction. (From the Latin puber: “adult.”)
Rapid growth and body changes during these years are to a large degree brought about by interactions between several hormones, biochemical compounds that are created in one part of the body and sent via the bloodstream to have a specific effect somewhere else. These chemical messages provoke an impressive number and variety of responses throughout the body. All of the hormones and the glands that secrete them are collectively known as the endocrine system. Continue Reading »
