Download The Endocrine System

The Endocrine System
Our SLOW chemical
communication system!
Nervous and Endocrine
Systems
• Nervous System is like email and the
Endocrine is like snail mail.
• Feedback system-- systems work together
brain—pituitary—other glands—
hormones—brain
• Hormones are like neurotransmitters, just
slower
Just the facts…
• Endocrine System—system of glands
that secrete hormones that affect many
different biological processes in our
bodies.
• The Endocrine System is controlled in our
brain by the Hypothalamus!
• The hypothalamus relays messages to the
Pituitary Gland—called the Master Gland!
More facts…
• The pituitary talks to other glands such as
the adrenal glands as well as the
gonads.
• The adrenal glands produce adrenaline or
epinephrine as well as noradrenaline or
norepinephrine.
• These chemicals work together to produce
a fight or flight response activated by the
sympathetic nervous system.
A little bit more….
• The endocrine system is also in charge of
our gonads—ovaries and testes.
• Sex hormones such as estrogen and
testosterone are released from here.
• Research suggests that some sex role
differences are due to different levels of
these hormones in the bodies of men and
women. What do you think?
Survey and Discussion
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1—Strongly Agree
2—Agree
3—Neutral
4—Disagree
5—Strong Disagree
Do hormones affect behavior?
• Men and women are different because of
their different hormones. Agree or
Disagree
• Research suggests that testosterone can
make men more aggressive and
competitive. Estrogen can have varying
effects on women.
More…..
• Hormones control when and if we want to
have intercourse. Agree or Disagree
• Hormones, such as testosterone, do play
a part in both men and women regarding
desire for sex, but humans do not seem
controlled by these hormonal changes
unlike other animals such as the Giant
Panda.
More on hormones and behavior
• Differing levels of hormones are correlated
with homosexuality. Agree or disagree
• Research suggests that stress hormones
have an impact on the developing fetus
and are correlated with homosexuality.
• Research also suggests that homosexual
males have smaller hypothalamic regions
than heterosexual males.
More…
• Different levels of hormones are correlated
with monogamy. Agree or Disagree
• Research done on vols found that by
altering the amount of receptors they had
for hormones like oxytocin (cuddle) and
vasopression (jealousy), that you could
make a permiscious vol monogamous.
And…
• Hormones are correlated with obesity. Agree or
Disagree
• Research indicates that obesity may have more
to do with metabolism levels dictated in a large
part by the thyroid gland and thyroxin.
• Research also indicates that Americans have
slower metabolisms which is what helped us
survive our journeys here. But what happens
now that we have unlimited food?
Wait there’s more…
• Hormones cause acne. Agree or Disagree
• Some research indicates that even though
kids around the world are going through
the same hormonal changes as American
teens, they do not seem to suffer from
acne like American teens do. We can
possibly conclude that there are other
variables like diet!
More……
• Hormones make 13 year olds difficult.
Agree or Disagree
• Is adolescence really a difficult time
because of the changing hormones or
have we just made it so?
• Research indicates that many of the
difficulties of the teen years seem to
limited to the West, so maybe it is all just
in our imaginations????
And…
• It is ethical to take synthetic human growth
hormone for sports or to be taller. Agree or
Disagree
• Humans release HGH mostly during deep
sleep up to around the age of 28 years of
age, but after that people make take
synthetic HGH illegally.
How are we altering hormones?
• Research indicates that a variety of
products we use and consume have
effects on hormones such as: Food, Milk,
Make up, Sunscreens, Lotion, BPA
• Researchers wonder if environmental
factors are to blame for things like
infertility, early puberty, etc..
In conclusion
• Hormones are slow acting, but they have
VAST effects on our body and our
behavior.