Neurohormones

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Chemical messengers produced by the nervous system that interact with the endocrine system to regulate various bodily functions
2. Substances involved in both neurological and hormonal signaling, influencing processes like mood and stress response
3. Biochemical compounds that connect neural activities with hormonal effects, regulating functions such as growth and metabolism

Etymology: "Neurohormones" is the plural of "neurohormone", a compound built from the combining form "neuro-", from Greek "neuron" meaning "sinew" or "nerve," joined to "hormone," from Greek "hormaein," meaning "to set in motion" or "to urge on." The two halves describe the word's job: a substance that is released by nerve cells but acts through the bloodstream like a hormone. The pairing reflects a shift in how scientists understood the nervous system. Early in the twentieth century, nerves and glands were considered separate systems, one communicating by electrical impulse and the other by chemicals carried in blood. Once researchers recognised that certain neurons secrete chemical messengers into the circulation, a new term was needed to name these hybrid molecules, and the compound was assembled from the two existing words.