Through the nervous system, there is a tremendous amount of information being processed between the brain and the body - from moving a leg to closing an eyelid. Yet, there is another system that is of importance to psychologists that also moves information and effects both the mind and body - the endocrine system .
Hormones have the effect of influencing how a mind and body behaves.
The endocrine system influences mood, metabolism and sexual arousal among others. It plays an important role in determining behavior. The glands of the endocrine system are stimulated by both the levels of chemicals in the blood and the brain itself. The hypothalamus interfaces with the definitive master gland of the nervous system, the pituitary gland, which manufactures some of the main hormones of the body.