allostasisn.
/ˌalə(ʊ)ˈsteɪsɪs/, U.S. /ˌæləˈsteɪsəs/ Physiology.
The continual process of reaction and adaptation to environmental changes and demands required for an organism to maintain physiological stability. Cf. homoeostasis n.
ΚΠ
1988 P. Sterling & J. Eyer in S. Fisher & J. Reason Handbk. Life Stress, Cognition & Health xxxiv. 636 To maintain stability an organism must vary all the parameters of its internal milieu and match them appropriately to environmental demands. We refer to this principle as allostasis, meaning ‘stability through change’.
2001 Alternative Therapies in Health & Med. Mar. 72/2 A term used to describe the process of the human body adapting to regain homeostasis is allostasis.
2009 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 18 Aug. d2/4 This system of so-called allostasis, of maintaining control through constant change, stands in contrast to the mechanisms of homeostasis.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2012; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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