Exploring Hormonal Changes During Adolescence And Their Effects On The Brain

Adolescence can be a time of tremendous change in a person’s life in nearly every conceivable way. As a parent, it may be helpful to understand the science behind the transformation your teenager is going through so you can support their mental, physical, and emotional health. A variety of hormones are typically at work during these years, leading to physical and emotional changes that may indicate sexual maturity. A licensed therapist, whether in person or online, can offer insight and guidance as you support your adolescent through these turbulent years. 

What are the teenage hormones?

Hormones can be defined as chemicals that affect how a person thinks, feels, and acts. As adolescents grow and develop, the following hormones are likely to be found at high levels in their system: 

• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) — Produced and released by the brain to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce puberty hormones
• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) — Regulates the development and growth of the body's reproductive processes through puberty maturation
• Luteinizing hormone (LH) — In females, LH can trigger ovulation and the initiation of the menstrual cycle; in males, LH typically stimulates the production of testosterone
• Estrogen — The primary sex hormone in people assigned female at birth
• Testosterone — The primary sex hormone in people assigned male at birth
• Androgens — Produced by males and females to stimulate puberty and maturation; they typically cause physical developments, such as facial hair or body hair, while also being responsible for concerns like acne
• Dihydrotestosterone (DG) — In males, dihydrotestosterone can promote prostate growth, body, facial, and pubic hair growth, male pattern baldness, and sebaceous gland activity
• Estradiol —The form of estrogen present in the body during the reproductive years and the most potent form of estrogen; supports the development of secondary sex characteristics, such as breasts, pigmented facial hair, or certain body compositions.
• Growth hormone (HGH or GH) — Triggers development in nearly every tissue and organ and increases trabecular bone growth

Defining puberty: Hormonal changes during adolescence

Decades of research show that the hormones produced and released by the pituitary gland during puberty tend to drastically affect the development of secondary sex characteristics, which can be seen as physical traits that distinguish between the sexes but are not directly related to sexual reproduction. 

Generally, secondary sexual characteristics are mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This generally refers to the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and gonadal glands functioning in sync as a single system. Puberty is normally initiated by GnRH hormone secretions, which can trigger FSH and LH release, stimulating further physical and hormonal changes. 

Exploring the hormone-driven aspects of puberty in adolescents

During the hormone-fueled teenage years, it can help to understand how your child’s body is changing. Consider the following changes that may occur in your adolescent. 

Females

These processes tend to indicate normal female development: 

• Thelarche, or breast development, typically between ages nine and 10, can be caused by increases in estrogen and progesterone. 
• Pubarche, or the growth of pubic hair, typically begins about six months after thelarche. Two years after pubarche onset, axillary hair (hair in the armpits) may start growing, demonstrating a secondary sexual characteristic mediated by testosterone.
• Menarche, or the first menstrual period, can be caused by increases in FSH and LH, usually occurring between 1.5 and three years of thelarche onset. Plasma estradiol and progesterone levels may fluctuate, and the first ovulation usually takes place six to nine months after menarche. 
• Ovarian development may occur due to the rise in gonadotropins, causing the ovary to produce estradiol and contribute to the development of secondary sexual characteristics during puberty. 
• Uterus size and shape usually change from teardrop to pear-shaped, growing in length and thickness due to increased estrogen. 
• Vaginal changes, such as enlargement of the labia major and labia minora, are often part of the hormone-driven maturation process of puberty. 

Males

Males typically progress through the following changes as they develop: 

• Testicular size increase is typically one of the first signs of puberty in males. Increased LH and FSH may stimulate testosterone and sperm production, and the testes may continue to grow throughout puberty. 
• Pubarche, or the growth of pubic hair, usually occurs alongside the development of testes. Axillary, chest, and facial hair tend to grow approximately two years after pubarche onset. 
• Penis size growth generally happens after testicular development, growing first in length and then width. 

Males and females: Growth spurt and Adrenarche during puberty

Both males and females can experience the following during puberty:

• Growth spurt — During a growth spurt, interactions between sex steroids like estradiol and testosterone, the growth hormone, and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) may cause periods of rapid physical growth. Due to hormonal changes, adolescents can stimulate growth spurts while they sleep, and these metabolic shifts can also increase trabecular bone growth. Males may experience cracking or squeaking voices as their vocal cords enlarge. 
• Adrenarche — Adrenarche, also known as “the awakening of the adrenal gland,” can refer to the start of the secretion of adrenal androgen precursors dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and androstenedione. This process typically starts when a child is between six and eight years of age and eventually leads to pubarche. Increased oiliness of the skin and hair, acne, and apocrine odor can be common changes during this period.

How do adolescent hormonal changes affect mood and behavior?

Fluctuations in your teen’s hormone levels can lead to drastic mood swings and behavioral changes. As the sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) multiply and their levels grow within the body, adolescents may shift their thoughts about dating and sex, dramatically increasing their interest in these topics and experiences.

Teenagers may also feel isolated and alone, almost as if they are stuck in a body beyond their control. Puberty can feel unnatural and may be awkward for some adolescents. However, these feelings tend to be common and a natural part of development. Therefore, they’re likely to pass with time.

Increased risk for conditions like anxiety and depression

The intense hormone fluctuations of puberty have been linked to an increased risk of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, particularly in teenage girls. It can be crucial to remember that adolescence can be a particularly stressful time in a person’s life. The pressure of family, school, relationships, and work can often be a lot to manage all at once. It can be important to support your child by building up their self-esteem and checking in with them frequently. This way, you may have a solid baseline from which to measure and gauge any adolescent behavioral changes. 

Many mental health conditions have an adolescent onset

Some mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (sometimes referred to as bipolar depression), and borderline personality disorder, tend to have adolescent onset, usually in the later teenage years. If there is a genetic history of these mental health conditions, families are commonly advised to monitor their young adult family members for any signs or symptoms. 

Recognizing the signs of hormonal imbalance in teenagers

A hormonal imbalance can occur when your teenager’s body produces too much or too little of the hormones required to facilitate puberty, leading to various physical health issues, mood swings, and emotional concerns.

Some common signs of hormonal imbalance in adolescents could include:

• In females — Heavy or irregular periods, hair loss, headaches, and night sweats 
• In males — Hot flashes, difficulty concentrating, muscle mass loss, and decreased body hair or beard growth 
• In general — Dry skin, blurry vision, fatigue or energy loss, joint pain, irritability, depression, anxiety, nervousness, and mood swings

Signs of hormonal imbalance in the brain

Examples of hormonal imbalances in the brain such as abnormal cortisol levels can have an impact on the cognition and the overall function of an individual. Such hormonal imbalances can change the brain function and may cause memory impairments. In addition to that, other imbalances can affect someone’s mood and energy levels negatively. 

How therapy can help you support your teen through puberty

Many parents benefit from a mental health professional's support and guidance as they raise their children. Not only can therapy offer a place to learn healthy ways to understand and cope with your emotions, but a therapist can also help you work through challenges related to parenting by promoting healthy communication and balanced conflict resolution. 

Benefits of online therapy for guiding your child from changes due to sex hormones

You may consider working with a licensed therapist through a virtual therapy platform like BetterHelp. Here, you can learn valuable parenting, self-care, and communication skills to help you relate to and guide your child while still caring for yourself. Mental health professionals can offer you some advice on how to care for your child during this period when hormonal changes occur. Being a parent can be time-consuming, but online therapy generally allows you to receive advice and guidance from anywhere you have an internet connection at any time that works for you. 

Parents or guardians who believe their teen could benefit from the support and guidance of a mental health professional can contact TeenCounseling to find online therapy for children aged 13 to 19. 

Effectiveness of online therapy

Online therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy for addressing a range of challenges, including parental concerns. In a 2019 study, researchers assessed the efficacy of an online mindful parenting training intervention for mothers experiencing elevated levels of parental stress. Researchers found that mothers who participated in the study often showed compelling improvements in measures of self-compassion, as well as a reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression. While researchers did note the small sample size of the study, they concluded that online parental training could be effective in improving the mental health of parents and could be modified and applied to other virtual therapies.