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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Dec 1.
Published in final edited form as: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Dec;1148:223–231. doi: 10.1196/annals.1410.061

Figure 5.

Figure 5

Homeostatic definitions of stress and allostatic load. In stress the organism senses a discrepancy between afferent information about a monitored variable and a set point and other instructions for responding, altering activities of effectors to decrease the discrepancy. Allostatic load reflects wear and tear, which, if sustained and substantial enough, decreases effector efficiency, further activating the effector and accelerating wear and tear. Allostatic load can therefore eventuate in a destabilizing and pathologic positive feedback loop.