What is the difference between Neurotransmitters and Hormones?
• Neurotransmitters belong to the nervous system, whereas hormones belong to the endocrine system.
• Transmission of neurotransmitters is across the synaptic cleft, whereas that of hormones is by blood.
• Hormones are produced by endocrine glands while neurotransmitters are produced by neurons.
• Target cells of neurotransmitters can be specific neurons or other cells, whereas that of hormones can be some distance from endocrine gland.
• Action of neurotransmitters is extremely fast, which could be up to few milliseconds. In contrast, effect of hormones could be last for a long period which could be in the range of few seconds to few days.
• Examples for neurotransmitters include acetylcholine, dopamine and noradrenaline, whereas examples for hormones include ADH, GH, PTH, Oxytocin, insulin, glycogen etc.
• Hormones are able to regulate their target organs, whereas neurotransmitters are able to stimulate the postsynaptic membranes
