The effects of neurotransmitters tend to be fast and of shorter duration , whereas the effects of hormones tend to be slower and longer lasting.
Explanation
- Neurotransmitters act quickly by transmitting signals across synapses between neurons, leading to rapid changes in the electrical potential of target cells. Their effects are typically immediate but short-lived because neurotransmitters are rapidly broken down or reabsorbed after their release.
- Hormones are released into the bloodstream by endocrine glands and travel throughout the body to affect distant target organs. This process is slower compared to neurotransmission, and hormone effects can last for hours, days, or even longer, due to the widespread and sustained nature of hormonal signaling.
This distinction highlights the rapid but transient influence of neurotransmitters in immediate cell-to-cell communication versus the broader, prolonged regulatory role of hormones in physiological processes.
