1. Blame it on Your
Hormones
Ryan’s Psychology 2010

2. The Endocrine System
• Remember all the weirdness you went
through when you began puberty?
• Hair sprouting in different places and body
parts growing at different speeds?
• How about those mood swings?
• Blame it ALL on your hormones.

3. Hmmmm….
• Your nervous system gets most of the
press, but there’s another communication
system that can pack a powerful punch in
terms of what you think, feel, and do.
• It is your endocrine system, and its
messengers are your hormones.

4. Midbrain Magic
• The endocrine system – controlled by the
hypothalamus – produces and secretes
hormones into the bloodstream.
• These chemicals are involved in a lot of
different bodily functions, from your sexual
development to your arousal, mood, and
metabolism.

5. • Not only does your endocrine
communication system help you regulate
everyday alertness and mood, it helps you
respond to emergencies.
• The most famous hormone is
ADRENALINE,
• an energizer that responds to
emergencies by preparing you for “fight
or flight.”

6. Adrenaline Alert!
• Do you remember a time when you were
driving and had a near miss with another
car?
• …your pounding heart?
• …tensed muscles?
• …maybe even a cold sweat?
• Each of these is an example of your
endocrine system preparing you to
respond to a life-threatening situation.
• In fact, long after the danger had passed,
you could probably still feel your endocrine
system doing its job.

7. Endocrine System
Hormones are produced by several
different glands.
growth hormone
thyroxin
adrenaline
insulin
testosterone
estrogen
progesterone