A physician finds that a nine-year-old male patient is entering puberty much earlier than usual. Such a condition is most likely the result of a tumor in the ________.

Question

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Puberty is initiated by the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus, which then stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to release follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). These hormones then stimulate the testes (in males) or ovaries (in females) to produce sex hormones and initiate puberty. If a tumor develops in the anterior pituitary gland and produces elevated levels of gonadotropins, it can result in early onset of puberty.

A Physician Finds That a Nine-Year-Old Male Patient Is Entering