Patients diagnosed with central early puberty (PPC) have an increased risk of almost 50 % of developing psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety, according to a study conducted by the Dr Lars Dinkelbach (Essen University Hospital, Duisburg-Essen University, Germany) and published online on June 23, 2025 in JAMA Network Open . In addition, the impact of depression and deficit attention disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD) remained high for years after diagnosis.
Early pubertal start
Early puberty concerns 10 times more girls than boys.
-Cit the girl, pubertal start is marked by the appearance of breast development (S2 according to Tanner). Puberty is defined as early when this sign appears before the age of 8 years.
-Chear the boy, pubertal start is marked by the increase in testicular volume > 4ml, or length> 25 mm (G2 according to Tanner). Puberty is defined as early when this sign appears before the age of 9 years.
A population study
German researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study based on the population based on health insurance data (from January 2010 to June 2023) in order to assess the link between the idiopathic CPP and the development of psychiatric disorders.
They included 1,094 patients with idiopathic CPPs (91.3 % of girls) and paid them individually to 5,448 witnesses who did not present early puberty (paired by sex, the year of birth, insurance period and obesity).
The psychiatric results evaluated included depression, anxious disorders, oppositional disorders with provocation and driving disorders, ADHD, self -control behaviors and disorders linked to the use of substances.
Increase in psy disorders
Analyzes appear that patients with CPP had a higher risk of mental disorders than apparent witness individuals (adjusted risk ratio [aRR]1,48 ; IC à 95 %, 1,31-1,67).
They also presented a higher risk of depression (arr, 1.73; 95 %CI, 1.37-2.20), anxiety disorders (arr, 1.45; 95 %CI, 1.16-1.82), oppositional disorders with provocation and conduct disorders (ARP, 1.76; 95 %CI, 1.39-2.2.2.23) (Arr, 1.53; 95 %CI, 1.27-1.86) that individuals paired.
Also, the incidence rates of oppositional disorders with provocation and behavior disorders were high even before the diagnosis of CPP.
Finally, depression and ADHD rates have remained high for up to 8 years after the initial diagnosis.
Actively seek psychological symptoms
“Caregivers of CPP patients must actively explore psychological symptoms and facilitate early intervention in order to positively influence the life course of this population of vulnerable patients. As our results indicate long -term consequences of the CPP on mental health, caregivers must remain vigilant even after the normalization of pubertal development, “write the authors.
This article has been translated from Medscape.com.