Animal Behavior/Maturation

Maturation

Individuals, during their progression from infancy to adulthood, experience a variety of changes, including physical, cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial.

Puberty

Successfully navigating the transition from juvenile, to meet the demands of adulthood, remains one of the trickiest tasks any individual will likely face. The changes in behavioral repertoire that occur during puberty are reflected in the maturation of endocrine, neural and neurochemical systems. The influence of rising gonadal hormones on male and female reproductive behaviors are well understood. However, corresponding changes also exist in structure and function of neural circuits underlying a much broader range of behavioral and cognitive development.