Central Precocious Puberty and Psychiatric Disorders.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Public Health Research

Background:

• Early pubertal timing, within the physiological range, is linked to increased mental health risks.
• Previous research on central precocious puberty (CPP) and mental health outcomes has been inconclusive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the risk of psychiatric disorders in patients diagnosed with CPP.
• To identify critical periods of heightened risk for psychopathological conditions in CPP patients.

Main Methods:

• A population-based, retrospective cohort study utilizing German health insurance data (approx. 6.5 million individuals).
• Patients with CPP were compared to precisely matched controls (sex, birth year, insurance period, obesity).
• Incidence rates of depression, anxiety, ODD/CD, and ADHD were analyzed before and after CPP diagnosis.

Main Results:

• 1094 patients with CPP were compared to 5448 controls.
• CPP patients showed significantly higher risks for any mental disorder (aRR 1.48), depression (aRR 1.73), anxiety (aRR 1.45), ODD/CD (aRR 1.76), and ADHD (aRR 1.53).
• Increased ODD/CD incidence was noted pre-diagnosis; depression and ADHD risks remained elevated for at least 8 years post-diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• Central precocious puberty is associated with a substantially increased risk of psychiatric disorders.
• Evidence suggests long-term mental health implications for individuals with CPP.
• Caregivers should monitor for psychiatric symptoms to enable early intervention.