allostasis

American  

[al-uh-stey-sis] / ˌæl əˈsteɪ sɪs /

noun

1. the process of continual change by which an organism adjusts its internal functions, such as temperature, blood pressure, etc., in response to activity or the environment so as to maintain physiological stability.

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Etymology

Origin of allostasis

First recorded in 1985–90; allo- ( def. ) + stasis ( def. )

Example Sentences

Sleeping soundly and following wakefulness patterns help the brain efficiently maintain the body’s energy balance, a process known as allostasis, said Barrett, the Northeastern professor.

From Washington Post • Mar. 1, 2021

The human body is an open system and "allostasis" is a better way to conceptually understand all diseases.

From New York Times • Aug. 6, 2016

As Dr. Sterling notes, the allostasis model identifies a seeming paradox: People are dying, but their internal regulatory mechanisms are intact.

From New York Times • Aug. 6, 2016

Where homeostasis attributes hypertension to a defect of inner regulation, allostasis explains it as a normal response to social circumstances.

From New York Times • Aug. 6, 2016

In turn, the ability to cope with changing environments and stress is encompassed in the principle of allostasis — the physiological or behavioural changes required to stabilize the biological system.

From Nature • Dec. 21, 2011