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Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Perspectives on Neuroscience

Published on: July 31, 2007

What Is Stress? A Systems Perspective.

Marco Del Giudice¹, C Loren Buck², Lauren E Chaby³

¹Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Logan Hall, 2001 Redondo Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.

Integrative and Comparative Biology

|September 12, 2018

Summary

Stress occurs when biological control systems fail to regulate critical variables. This new definition, based on control theory, applies across all life forms, from single cells to whole organisms.

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BioMEMS and Cellular Biology: Perspectives and Applications

BioMEMS and Cellular Biology: Perspectives and Applications

Published on: October 1, 2007

Area of Science:

Systems Biology
Control Theory
Biological Organization

Background:

The concept of stress lacks a unified, rigorous definition across biological disciplines.
Existing behavioral models focus on perceived uncontrollability and unpredictability of threats.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a general, systems biology-based definition of stress.
To clarify the concept of stress for integrative research and formal analysis.
To propose a definition applicable across diverse biological levels.

Main Methods:

Applying control theory principles to biological systems.
Analyzing the interplay of feedback and feedforward control mechanisms.
Examining stress phenomena from cellular to organismal levels.

Main Results:

Stress is defined as a biological control system's failure to regulate a fitness-critical variable.
This definition encompasses both internal and external threats.
The proposed framework integrates reactive and predictive control components.

Conclusions:

A unified definition of stress is achievable through control theory.
The definition applies broadly to animals, plants, and single cells.
This framework facilitates understanding of stress responses and their evolutionary trade-offs.