Complexity and network dynamics in physiological adaptation: an integrated view.

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Systems Biology
• Network Science

Background:

• Living organisms maintain internal stability (homeostasis, allostasis) against external perturbations.
• Adaptation involves three strategies: restore, explore, and abandon, linked to ordered, chaotic, and static behaviors.
• These concepts are integrated within complex adaptive systems theory.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose an integrated framework for physiological adaptation using a complex network perspective.
• To analyze the operational characteristics of adaptation strategies.
• To illustrate the framework's applicability using obesity as a case study.

Main Methods:

• Network-based analysis of physiological adaptation strategies.
• Examination of molecular and cellular mechanisms of adaptation.
• Application of the framework to understand obesity-related maladaptation.

Main Results:

• A network-based framework integrating homeostasis, allostasis, and general adaptation syndrome is proposed.
• Obesity is characterized by chaotic exploration for stability, involving trade-offs.
• This exploration carries risks of adverse outcomes like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Conclusions:

• The complex network perspective offers a unified view of physiological adaptation.
• Understanding adaptation mechanisms in conditions like obesity can reveal insights into health and disease.
• Deconstructing adaptive complexity promises novel therapeutic targets.