Precocious Puberty in Boys

Normal puberty starts when pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus begins. This triggers the release of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone from the pituitary. In both sexes, these pituitary hormones then activate gonadal function. Sexual precocity is the appearance of any sign of secondary sexual maturation before the age of eight years in girls and before the age of nine years in boys,1 and precocity due to early activation of the pulse generator of hypothalamic GnRH is known as central, or GnRH-dependent, precocious puberty.In most girls with central precocious puberty, no cause can be identified, whereas . . .