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Puberty Quiz

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Which statement best describes the physiological role of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) at the onset of puberty?

It is secreted by the hypothalamus and stimulates the anterior pituitary to release follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone It is a peripheral hormone that acts directly on target tissues such as the gonads and breast to cause pubertal changes It is produced by the gonads and provides negative feedback to the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to reduce further gonadotrophin release It is secreted by the anterior pituitary and directly stimulates the gonads to increase sex steroid production It is released from the posterior pituitary and acts to suppress the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary

A It is secreted by the hypothalamus and stimulates the anterior pituitary to release follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone ✓
B It is a peripheral hormone that acts directly on target tissues such as the gonads and breast to cause pubertal changes
C It is produced by the gonads and provides negative feedback to the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to reduce further gonadotrophin release
D It is secreted by the anterior pituitary and directly stimulates the gonads to increase sex steroid production
E It is released from the posterior pituitary and acts to suppress the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary

The answer is A: It is secreted by the hypothalamus and stimulates the anterior pituitary to release follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone

Explanation

Why A is correct

See Hormone Changes in Puberty. Option A is correct. Puberty is run by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, a three-step chain. First, neurons in the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that controls the pituitary) release gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in pulses, at first mainly overnight. Second, GnRH acts on cells of the anterior pituitary gland and makes them release two gonadotrophins (hormones that act on the gonads): luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Third, LH and FSH act on the gonads, the ovaries or testes, which increase their output of sex steroids and begin to produce mature eggs or sperm. The sex steroids then drive the visible changes of puberty and also feed back on the hypothalamus and pituitary in a negative feedback loop. Because everything depends on the first step, a fault at the level of GnRH can delay or prevent puberty. The exam trap is the site and direction: GnRH comes from the hypothalamus and acts on the pituitary, not the other way round.

Source: neurons in the hypothalamus release GnRH in pulses
Target: GnRH acts on the anterior pituitary, which releases LH and FSH
Gonads: LH and FSH act on the ovaries or testes, which increase their sex steroid output
Feedback: the sex steroids feed back negatively on the hypothalamus and pituitary

Why the other options are incorrect

B. It is a peripheral hormone that acts directly on target tissues such as the gonads and breast to cause pubertal changes: GnRH is not a peripheral hormone. It acts at the top of the axis on the anterior pituitary, and the physical changes of puberty are driven by the sex steroids that follow. This option would be right for a hormone such as testosterone or oestrogen.
C. It is produced by the gonads and provides negative feedback to the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary to reduce further gonadotrophin release: The gonads do not produce GnRH; they produce sex steroids and inhibin, which feed back on the hypothalamus and pituitary. This option would be right for a question about gonadal feedback rather than the releasing hormone itself.
D. It is secreted by the anterior pituitary and directly stimulates the gonads to increase sex steroid production: GnRH is not secreted by the anterior pituitary and does not act on the gonads directly. The anterior pituitary is the target of GnRH, and the gonads are stimulated by the pituitary hormones LH and FSH. This option would be right for the gonadotrophin hormones rather than GnRH.
E. It is released from the posterior pituitary and acts to suppress the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone from the anterior pituitary: GnRH acts on the anterior pituitary, not the posterior pituitary, and it stimulates rather than suppresses FSH secretion. A hormone that suppresses FSH from the pituitary would be inhibin, which acts by negative feedback.

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1
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