What would be the logical consequences of hormones traveling via the circulatory system as compared to the action-potential-based stimuli of the nervous system? Are these consequences necessarily a disadvantage?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Hormones would be slower to act. The process of transport through blood would necessarily take at least a few seconds, whereas rapid transmission of stimuli through neurons can take less than one second. Hormones cannot be as selective as nervous system stimuli because neurons are nearly "plugged in" (with a synapse in between) to the cell(s) you want to stimulate. Neurons can stimulate a few skeletal muscles at a time and target precisely which ones to stimulate. Hormones will stimulate whatever cells they encounter that have the right receptors. That is a big part of why neurons rather than hormones stimulate skeletal muscle.
The effects of hormones are also longer lasting because they may exert their influence on cells for however long they remain attached to receptors. Thus, the slower response time and less-selective nature may only be a disadvantage for responses requiring split-second timing and coordination (such as motor control). For ongoing control of bodily functions where split-second timing is less critical (such as reproductive cycles and most aspects of metabolism), the endocrine system responses would be more energy efficient because continuous stimulation by neurons would use tremendous amounts of ATP compared to the production and release of hormone molecules.