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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo
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Towards physics of neural processes and behavior.

Mark L Latash1

  • 1Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Russia.

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|August 8, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Living systems utilize known and novel physical laws for purposeful control. This framework explains complex behaviors, from motor skills to aging, through controlled stability and structured variability.

Keywords:
AgingBack-couplingEquifinalityNeurological disorderPerceptionPhysics of living systemsRedundancyReferent configurationSynergyTonic stretch reflexUncontrolled manifold hypothesis

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Control Theory
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Biological system behavior integrates fundamental physical laws with unique, yet undiscovered, physical laws governing life.
  • Living systems exhibit a unique capacity to synthesize basic physical laws into complex chains and clusters, forming novel, stable relationships and parameters.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a unifying framework for understanding biological system behavior based on physical laws.
  • To explore the concepts of control with referent coordinates, hierarchical control, and the principle of abundance.
  • To link controlled stability and structured variability to explain diverse biological phenomena.

Main Methods:

  • Formulation of control with referent coordinates, hierarchical control, and the principle of abundance.
  • Integration of controlled stability with structured variability as a core principle.
  • Application of the theoretical framework to diverse biological control examples.

Main Results:

  • Demonstration of how living systems purposefully modify parameters within novel physical laws.
  • Illustration of the framework's explanatory power for intentional and unintentional movements.
  • Explanation of phenomena such as equifinality, action preparation, skill development, aging, and neurological disorders.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed physical law-based framework provides a powerful lens for understanding biological control and behavior.
  • Controlled stability and structured variability are key to explaining the adaptability and robustness of living systems.
  • This approach offers significant explanatory and predictive capabilities across a wide range of biological phenomena.