Question

Compare and contrast nervous and hormonal mechanisms for control.

Answer 1

Living organisms change their movements and positions in response to environmental changes, either for protection or to gain an advantage. When an entity reacts to changes in its environment, this is referred to as a stimulus, and the reaction to the stimulus is referred to as a response. Sound, light, air, heat, smell, taste, water, and gravity are all common stimuli. Responding to stimuli with the intervention of the Nervous System is a characteristic behavior of living entities.

Complete answer:
The nervous system allows us to communicate with the outside world while also controlling various internal mechanisms. The nervous system receives information, processes it, and then initiates reactions. Neurons aid in signal transmission.

Hormones, on the other hand, diffuse through the plasma membrane of target cells and bind to a receptor protein in the cell's cytoplasm. This binding sets off a chain of events that results in the production of secondary messengers. These secondary messengers initiate a cascade of molecular interactions that alter the cell's physiological state. This is also known as signal transduction.

The difference between nervous and hormonal mechanisms for control are as follows:

Nervous Mechanism	Hormonal Mechanism
Nerve cells are involved.	It is aided by endocrine glands.
Signals travel quickly, and responses are quick.	Signals travel slowly, and responses are also slow.
Signals travel through neurons.	Blood is used to transmit signals.
The effects are transient.	The effects are long-lasting.
Electrical impulses are used to transmit signals.	Hormones, which are chemicals, are used to transmit signals.

Note: Clinical studies have shown that estrogens central nervous system (CNS) effects extend beyond the resolution of vasomotor instability to psychological disturbances such as depression, behavioral changes, and cognitive dysfunction.