* Nervous system: This system uses electrical signals (nerve impulses) to send messages quickly throughout the body. It controls rapid responses, like reflexes, and also plays a role in thinking, feeling, and movement.
* Endocrine system: This system uses chemical messengers called hormones to regulate longer-term processes like growth, metabolism, and reproduction. Hormones travel through the bloodstream and can affect cells throughout the body.
While both systems work independently, they also interact to maintain overall body homeostasis. For example, the nervous system can trigger the release of hormones from the endocrine system, and hormones can influence the activity of neurons.
