One of the most striking findings of theses pediatric studies is that most adult patterns of sexual dimorphism are already present at birth and are therefore primarily under genetic control (inherited). In contrast, gender-specific changes in brain structures that develop after birth typically occur at puberty, suggesting that the neuroanatomical development in certain brain regions are mediated by physiological processes associated with puberty (e.g. hormonal changes). However, no direct measures of puberty were evaluated in the majority of these studies.
