Monday, 30 January 2012

2.82 describe how responses can be controlled by nervous or by hormonal communication and understand the differences between the two systems

Notes


Nervous system refers to how the body responds to changes in the external (environment) and internal (organism) environment -> electrical impulses sent along the neurones to the CNS, which then decides activates the effectors and response.

The hormonal system refers to hormones as a means of communication between stimulus and response. Hormones are made in the endocrine glands which are then released directly into the blood and are carried by the circulatory system to the targeted effector muscles and organs.

The difference between the two is that since the endocrine gland is typically far away from the effector, it takes longer for the hormonal system to co-ordinate a response than the electrical impulse dependent nervous system. Also, since hormones stay in the circulatory system for a while after being secreted, the reactions they cause tend to be long-lasting.

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