Question

24. Compare and contrast the actions of the endocrine system and nervous system in coordinating the body’s responses to stimuli. Describe how they work together to regulate homeostasis in humans.

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Answer 1

Nervous system	Endocrine system
Communicates with electrical impulses and neurotransmitters	Communicating with hormones carried in blood
Reacts quickly to stimuli within 1-10 msec .	Reacts more slowly often takes sec to days.
Stops quickly when stimulus stops	May continue long after stimulus stops.
Adapts quickly to continued stimulation relatively.	Adapts relatively slowly, may continue responding for weeks to days.
Has relatively local, specific targets on organs.	Sometimes has very general, widespread effects on many organs in body.

The body uses both electrical and chemical systems to create homeostasis. The CNS is made up of bundles of nerves that carry messages to and from the PNS. Hormones produced by the pituitary and adrenal glands regulate growth, stress, sexual functions, and chemical balance in the body.

All of the organs and organ systems of the human body work together like a well-oiled machine. The nervous system controls virtually all body activities, and the endocrine system secretes hormones that regulate these activities.

The nervous system maintains homeostasis by controlling and regulating the other parts of the body. A deviation from a normal set point acts as a stimulus to a receptor, which sends nerve impulses to a regulating center in the brain.