Allostasis and the human brain: Integrating models of stress from the social and life sciences.

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Abstract
We draw on the theory of allostasis to develop an integrative model of the current stress process that highlights the brain as a dynamically adapting interface between the changing environment and the biological self. We review evidence that the core emotional regions of the brain constitute the primary mediator of the well-established association between stress and health, as well as the neural focus of wear and tear due to ongoing adaptation. This mediation, in turn, allows us to model the interplay over time between context, current stressor exposure, internal regulation of bodily processes, and health outcomes. We illustrate how this approach facilitates the integration of current findings in human neuroscience and genetics with key constructs from stress models from the social and life sciences, with implications for future research and the design of interventions targeting individuals at risk.
Funding Information
  • National Institute of Mental Health (F31 MH63544; F32 MH068139)
  • National Institute on Aging (P50 AG1711-06, P30 AG022845)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (U01 DA023821)