The endocrine system, made up of hormone-secreting glands, also
affects communication inside the body. Hormones are chemicals that help
to regulate bodily functions. The glands produce hormones and dump them into the
bloodstream, through which the hormones travel to various parts of the body.
Hormones act more slowly than neurotransmitters, but their effects tend to be longer
lasting.
The pituitary gland, which lies close to the hypothalamus of the
brain, is often called the master gland of the endocrine system. When stimulated by
the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland releases various hormones that control other
glands in the body. The chart below summarizes the better known hormones along with
some of their functions.
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