Abnormal growth of the entire body caused by excessive growth hormone prior to puberty is known as?

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Multiple Choice

Abnormal growth of the entire body caused by excessive growth hormone prior to puberty is known as?

Excess growth hormone before the growth plates fuse leads to gigantism, because the long bones keep lengthening while their growth areas are still open, producing abnormal, overall increased body size and height. When GH excess occurs after puberty, the growth plates are closed, so height doesn’t increase and instead bones and soft tissues enlarge in a pattern called acromegaly. The other terms refer to different issues: acromegaly happens after growth plate closure; short stature is insufficient growth; galactorrhea is milk discharge driven by prolactin, not growth hormone.

Excess growth hormone before the growth plates fuse leads to gigantism, because the long bones keep lengthening while their growth areas are still open, producing abnormal, overall increased body size and height. When GH excess occurs after puberty, the growth plates are closed, so height doesn’t increase and instead bones and soft tissues enlarge in a pattern called acromegaly. The other terms refer to different issues: acromegaly happens after growth plate closure; short stature is insufficient growth; galactorrhea is milk discharge driven by prolactin, not growth hormone.

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