What is the difference between nervous and hormonal communication

Key Points The nervous system can respond quickly to stimuli, through the use of action potentials and neurotransmitters. Responses to nervous system stimulation are typically quick but short lived. The endocrine system responds to stimulation by secreting hormones into the circulatory system that travel to the target tissue.

Responses to endocrine system stimulation are typically slow but long lasting. Key Terms hormone : A molecule released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages affecting cells in other parts of the organism. Nervous System The nervous system responds rapidly to stimuli by sending electrical action potentials along neurons, which in turn transmit these action potentials to their target cells using neurotransmitters, the chemical messenger of the nervous system.

Endocrine System The endocrine system relies on hormones to elicit responses from target cells. Authored by : Boundless. Provided by : Boundless. Provided by : Wikibooks. Scientists have found statistically and biologically significant differences between the brains of men and women that are similar to sex differences found in experimental animals.

These include differences in the size and shape of brain structures in the hypothalamus and the arrangement of neurons in the cortex and hippocampus. Sex differences go well beyond sexual behavior and reproduction and affect many brain regions and functions, ranging from mechanisms for perceiving pain and dealing with stress to strategies for solving cognitive problems. That said, however, the brains of men and women are more similar than they are different.

Anatomical differences have also been reported between the brains of heterosexual and homosexual men. Research suggests that hormones and genes act early in life to shape the brain in terms of sex-related differences in structure and function, but scientists are still putting together all the pieces of this puzzle.

See how discoveries in the lab have improved human health. Read More. Engage local scientists to educate your community about the brain. For Educators Log in. Hormones are important messages both within the brain and between the brain and the body. Making and Breaking Connections in the Brain. Interstitial Cells of Cajal. Trending Popular articles on BrainFacts. The Neuron. Proteins That Balance Our Moods. And the endocrine system plays a vital role in emotions.

Because the glands in men and women differ, hormones also help explain some of the observed behavioural differences between men and women. The major glands in the endocrine system are shown in Figure 4. The pituitary secretes hormones that influence our responses to pain as well as hormones that signal the ovaries and testes to make sex hormones.

The pituitary gland also controls ovulation and the menstrual cycle in women. Other glands in the endocrine system include the pancreas , which secretes hormones designed to keep the body supplied with fuel to produce and maintain stores of energy ; the pineal gland , located in the middle of the brain, which secretes melatonin , a hormone that helps regulate the wake-sleep cycle; and the thyroid and parathyroid glands , which are responsible for determining how quickly the body uses energy and hormones, and controlling the amount of calcium in the blood and bones.

The body has two triangular adrenal glands , one atop each kidney. The adrenal glands produce hormones that regulate salt and water balance in the body, and they are involved in metabolism, the immune system, and sexual development and function.

The most important function of the adrenal glands is to secrete the hormones epinephrine also known as adrenaline and norepinephrine also known as noradrenaline when we are excited, threatened, or stressed.

Epinephrine and norepinephrine stimulate the sympathetic division of the ANS, causing increased heart and lung activity, dilation of the pupils, and increases in blood sugar, which give the body a surge of energy to respond to a threat. The activity and role of the adrenal glands in response to stress provide an excellent example of the close relationship and interdependency of the nervous and endocrine systems. A quick-acting nervous system is essential for immediate activation of the adrenal glands, while the endocrine system mobilizes the body for action.

The male sex glands , known as the testes , secrete a number of hormones, the most important of which is testosterone , the male sex hormone. Testosterone regulates body changes associated with sexual development, including enlargement of the penis, deepening of the voice, growth of facial and pubic hair, and the increase in muscle growth and strength. The ovaries , the female sex glands , are located in the pelvis. They produce eggs and secrete the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is involved in the development of female sexual features, including breast growth, the accumulation of body fat around the hips and thighs, and the growth spurt that occurs during puberty.

Both estrogen and progesterone are also involved in pregnancy and the regulation of the menstrual cycle. Recent research has pinpointed some of the important roles of the sex hormones in social behaviour. Dabbs, Hargrove, and Heusel measured the testosterone levels of men who were members of 12 fraternities at two universities. They also obtained descriptions of the fraternities from university officials, fraternity officers, yearbook and chapter house photographs, and researcher field notes.

The researchers correlated the testosterone levels and the descriptions of each fraternity. They found that the fraternities with the highest average testosterone levels were also more wild and unruly, and one of these fraternities was known across campus for the crudeness of its behaviour. On the other hand, the fraternities with the lowest average testosterone levels were more well behaved, friendly and pleasant, academically successful, and socially responsible.

Banks and Dabbs found that juvenile delinquents and prisoners who had high levels of testosterone also acted more violently, and Tremblay and colleagues found that testosterone was related to toughness and leadership behaviours in adolescent boys. Although testosterone levels are higher in men than in women, the relationship between testosterone and aggression is not limited to males. Studies have also shown a positive relationship between testosterone and aggression and related behaviours such as competitiveness in women Cashdan, Keep in mind that the observed relationships between testosterone levels and aggressive behaviour that have been found in these studies do not prove that testosterone causes aggression — the relationships are only correlational.

Recent research has also begun to document the role that female sex hormones may play in reactions to others. At this point you can begin to see the important role the hormones play in behaviour. But the hormones we have reviewed in this section represent only a subset of the many influences that hormones have on our behaviours. In the chapters to come we will consider the important roles that hormones play in many other behaviours, including sleeping, sexual activity, and helping and harming others.

Banks, T. Salivary testosterone and cortisol in delinquent and violent urban subculture. Journal of Social Psychology, 1 , 49— Cashdan, E. Hormones and competitive aggression in women.