Comparing Nerves and Hormones

• Hormones and nerves both carry information and instructions around the body
• Nerves:

  • very fast action
  • act for a very short time
  • act on a very precise area
• Hormones:

  • slow action
  • act for a long time
  • act in a more general way
• Some information needs to be passed to effectors really quickly, so its not ideal to use hormones to carry the message because they're too slow
• When you get a shock, a hormone called adrenaline is released into the body - you can tell it's a hormonal response because you feel a bit wobbly afterwards