When there is an emergency, or a stressful experience, the nervous system and endocrine system work together to activate the body to react and prepare for the event.
Information is instantly processed by the central and peripheral nervous system. Your brain (central) processes the thoughts and emotions and ultimately decides how your body will react. The peripheral system undergoes a sympathetic response (autonomic component), which causes changes in the body: increased heart beat and blood pressure, dilation of pupils, slowing of digestion, and sweating. This is known as the fight or flight response.
Concurrently during stress, the endocrine system is activated. The hypothalamus, a tiny gland located at the base of your skull, tells the pituitary gland what hormones need to be released to other glands of the body in response to the event. Both the nervous system and the endocrine system combine effectively in response to stress. First, the central nervous system (brain) processes the information, and it's urgency. At the same time the peripheral system gets the body amped up and ready phsyically.
Meanwhile, the endocrine system is receiving this information and deciding which hormones are needed and in what quantity to deal with the physical challenges and/or changes which are occurring. These ordered hormones control behavior, affect emotions, and regulate our most basic human needs (hunger, thirst, sex, sleep).
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