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August 14, 2026ChildrenOpen Access

Modern Determinants of Earlier Menarche and Mental Health: A Translational Review for Clinicians

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Authors

GMGiuseppe MaranoUniversità Cattolica del Sacro CuoreCDClaudia d’AbateUniversity of SienaGSGiuseppe SorrentiOspedale San Carlo

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Overview

Narrative review reveals earlier menarche is linked to elevated mental health risks in adolescent girls, highlighting the need for integrated clinical screening.

Key Points

  • To synthesize modern biological, psychosocial, and environmental determinants of accelerated menarche and examine their clinical associations with adolescent mental health outcomes.
  • Conducted a narrative review mapping a scoping search across PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases for studies published between 2016 and 2026.
  • Synthesized findings from systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and longitudinal cohort studies across biological, psychosocial, and environmental domains.
  • Higher childhood adiposity, psychosocial stress, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals are consistently linked with accelerated pubertal timing.
  • Earlier menarche is associated with elevated risks of depressive symptoms, anxiety, self-harm, and body image distress, with the peri-menarcheal window showing heightened vulnerability.
  • Observed mental health trajectories are mediated by biological mechanisms, such as hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis reactivity and hormonal shifts, alongside social dynamics like peer comparison and premature sexualization.

Cite This Study

Marano et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a7ec7aab70b84ec8b9142ffhttps://doi.org/10.3390/children13081068
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