Immune signaling as a node of interaction between systems that sex-specifically develop during puberty and adolescence

Abstract

Adolescence is pivotal for neural and behavioral development across species. During this period, maturation occurs in several biological systems, the most well-recognized being activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis marking pubertal onset. Increasing comparative studies of sex differences have enriched our understanding of systems integration during neurodevelopment. In recent years, immune signaling has emerged as a key node of interaction between a variety of biological signaling processes. Herein, we review the age- and sex-specific changes that occur in neural, hypothalamic-pituitary, and microbiome systems during adolescence. We then describe how immune signaling interacts with these systems, and review recent preclinical evidence indicating that immune signaling may play a central role in integrating changes in their typical and atypical development during adolescence. Finally, we discuss the translational relevance of these preclinical studies to human health and wellness.

Keywords: Adolescent; Behavior; Endocrine; Immune; Microbiome; Puberty; Sex difference; Stress.

Fig. 1

Approximate ages of adolescence and puberty in humans, rats, and mice. Ages are approximated based on the literature (Schneider, 2013, Sawyer et al., 2018).