The Endocrine and Nervous Systems Interactions

Objectives:
1. Describe the endocrine and nervous system interactions.
2. Explain how the nervous system and the endocrine system work
together.
3. Cite examples as to how the nervous and endocrine systems are
interrelated.
Unlocking of Word Difficulties
➢ The endocrine system is an organ system which
consists of various glands around the body. These
glands secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream.
➢ The nervous system is an organ system consisting of
many different specialized cells (called neurons) which
coordinate the actions of a person and transmit signals
between different parts of its body.
➢ Homeostasis is the dynamic state of equilibrium that
maintains stability in an organism.
➢ The body uses both electrical and chemical systems
to create homeostasis.
All body systems must work together to maintain homeostasis, and
it is mainly controlled by the nervous and endocrine systems.

Homeostasis is the dynamic state of equilibrium that maintains

stability in an organism’s internal environment in the presence of
environmental and external perturbation.

Failure to respond to the changes, promoting disturbances in

homeostasis or homeostatic imbalance, will result in the progression
of diseases.
To maintain homeostasis, the body uses a neural (nervous) and
hormonal (endocrine) control system, allowing specific responses
to take place.

A receptor responds to stimuli, which are changes in the

environment, and sends the message to the control center of the
body (brain).

The control center then analyzes the message and then determines
the appropriate response.

The effector finally provides a means of response to the stimulus

after receiving a command from the control center.
 A Closer Look at the Combined Activities of the Nervous and Endocrine Systems

The nervous system is designed to protect us from danger through its interpretation of
and reactions to stimuli.
But a primary function of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems is to
interact with the endocrine system to elicit chemicals that provide another system for
influencing our feelings and behaviors.
 The endocrine system is an organ system that
consists of various glands around the body

Examples:

• Hypothalamus
• Pituitary gland
• Parathyroid gland
• Thyroid gland
• Adrenal glands
• Pancreas—islets of Langerhans are islands of endocrine cells
scattered throughout the pancreas—ovaries in females and
testes in the male body.

These glands secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream.

The nervous system is an organ system consisting of many
different specialized cells (called neurons) which coordinate
the actions of a person and transmit signals between different
parts of the body.

In our bodies, the nervous system is made up of two parts:

• Central nervous system consists of the
 Brain
 Spinal cord
 Retina
• Peripheral nervous system consists of
 Sensory neurons
 Clusters of neurons which are called ganglia
 Nerves that connect them and to the central nervous
system

All these regions are interconnected through complex neural

pathways.
The hypothalamus is a gland that is found in the brain and it
links the endocrine system and the nervous system together.

The hypothalamus receives different information from all the

main areas that make up the brain and other organs.

The hypothalamus can register a variety of feelings and

sensations such as
• Pain
• Temperature
• Hunger
• Thirst
• Stress
• Fear
• Anger
Then, once this information has been sent to the hypothalamus
(part of the endocrine system) and has been registered, it works
with the autonomic nervous system (part of the peripheral
nervous system) to affect and administer changes to various
organs.

Examples of any effects or changes are:

• Increased heart or lung rate
• Increased blood flow to the skeletal muscles or digestive organs
• Changes in how much light enters the eyes and how well the
eyes can focus on distant objects
• Production of sweat or shivers
• Arousal of sexual organs

Because of the ability of the hypothalamus to link and affect both

the nervous and the endocrine systems, it is called
neuroendocrine tissue, a specialized type of tissue.
The endocrine system and the nervous system work in parallel with
each other and conjunction with each other to maintain
homeostasis, development, and reproduction.

Both of these organ systems are the communication links of the

body and help the body’s life systems to function correctly and with
each other.

In terms of function, both the nervous and endocrine systems work

hand in hand with one another by acting in communication and
driving hormonal changes.

They both work in maintaining homeostasis and they both respond

to internal and external changes to the body.
 Examples as to how the nervous and endocrine systems are interrelated
Milk is released by the mother.

When a baby suckles on its mother's nipple, the sensory cells in the nipple relay signals to the
hypothalamus.

The posterior pituitary gland releases oxytocin, which is then released by the hypothalamus.

The oxytocin is released directly into the bloodstream, where it travels to its target cell, a mammary
gland in this case.

The mammary gland then releases milk through the nipple in response to the oxytocin hormone's
signals.

Both systems affect one another in addition to working together.

Nerve cells control the development of the adrenal medulla, but the endocrine
regulates the development of the nervous system.
Examples as to how the nervous and endocrine systems are
interrelated
When faced with danger or hazard at night, it takes time for the
person's eyes to adapt and spot the threat.

When the eyes sense threat, the brain warns them that they might be
in danger.

The autonomic nervous system is used by the hypothalamus in the

brain to help the eyes adapt to see more quickly.

It makes use of your brain to think faster, as well as your heart, lungs,
and broad skeletal muscles to allow you to run faster or fight off the
threat with greater strength if necessary.
Examples as to how the nervous and endocrine systems are interrelated

By triggering the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine from

another area of the adrenal glands, the autonomic nervous system can
help induce some of the above reactions (the inner portion).

The nervous and endocrine systems are both interconnected in their

influences and functions over many of the body's physiological
activities in this way.
 Examples as to how the nervous and endocrine systems are interrelated

Via the endocrine system, the hypothalamus can trigger the synthesis
and release of cortisol (a glucocorticoid) from another area of the
adrenal gland (the outside of the adrenal gland).

These glucocorticoids can boost glucose production, giving the person

enough energy or fuel to fight or flee the threat.
 Examples as to how the nervous and endocrine systems are
interrelated

In this situation, adrenalin may also be produced from the adrenal

medulla (another gland that is part of the endocrine system).

The adrenalin hormone is released as a response to the individual’s

feelings of anxiety, during exercise (if the person runs away) or fear.

This is why adrenalin is known as the flight or fight hormone.

These responses (of staying and fighting the threat or running from
the danger) would both require a lot more blood and oxygen to be
present in the muscles.
Examples as to how the nervous and endocrine systems are interrelated

If the person is scared, it will cause the brain to send signals to the
renal glands which would then begin to pump a large amount of
adrenalin into the bloodstream.

This would then increase the heart rate and the breathing rate to
prepare for what the person is going to do (run or fight).

The heart rate and breathing rate would increase and the airways
of the lungs would widen.

The person would now have fast shallow chest breathing as

opposed to slow relaxed breathing.
 Examples as to how the nervous and endocrine systems are interrelated

If the person is scared, it is the sympathetic nervous system that

would control the body’s responses.

When aroused, this is the system that begins to increase the

person’s heart rate and breathing rate, their pupils would begin to
dilate and they may begin to start sweating (the fight or flight
response).

The nerve impulses travel at approximately 150 meters per second

which means that this stage of the fight or flight response can take
place very quickly, in milliseconds.
 Examples as to how the nervous and endocrine systems are interrelated

Once the danger has passed, it is the parasympathetic nervous

system that would then counteract the sympathetic nervous
system.

This is the system that would then help to calm the body, gradually
slowing the person’s heart and breathing rates, their pupils would
contract and the sweating would stop.