Reactivity Physiological

Reactivity is the physiological reaction of the body to various stimuli, which can be both physiological and pathological. It is an important mechanism for adapting the body to changing environmental conditions.

Reactivity can be positive or negative. Positive reactivity means that the body reacts positively to the stimulus, that is, it stimulates its development and adaptation. Negative reactivity, on the contrary, means that the body cannot adapt to a given stimulus and, as a result, can lead to various diseases.

Positive reactivity of the body can manifest itself in the form of an increase in the rate of growth, development and reproduction. For example, animals that eat a diet high in protein grow faster than animals that eat a diet low in protein.

Negative reactivity can manifest itself, for example, in the form of slowed growth and development, as well as a weakened immune system. This can lead to the development of various diseases such as allergies, infections, etc.

It is important to understand that the body’s reactivity depends on many factors, such as age, gender, genetic characteristics, etc. Therefore, to avoid negative consequences, it is necessary to take these factors into account when choosing your diet and lifestyle.

Physiological reactivity is one of the types of regulatory activity in the body, which ensures the body’s active adaptation to changing environmental conditions. It occurs automatically in response to any external stimulus. Unlike specific, it can occur with any external or internal stimulus. Specificity is not typical for it, since it is not aimed at a specific stimulus, but takes into account its character as a whole.

Physiological reactivity is caused by biological mechanisms of adaptation to new influences and is ensured by automatic, i.e. unconscious regulatory processes, which was revealed through Pavlov’s experiments. As a result of the physiological state of reactivity, a complex chain of vegetative reactions is established. These reactions were studied using special equipment - an electronic food sensor, which made it possible to establish the general characteristics of body tone, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory movements, the condition of the pupils, their size and reaction to light. Thus, research has proven the presence of automatic, neural regulation of these mechanisms. Similar adaptation mechanisms, carried out with the help of adrenaline, catecholamines, glucocorticoids, acetylcholine, lead to changes in their content in the blood. Activation of metabolic processes occurs, cells no longer receive metabolic energy from nutrients penetrating through the cell membrane, but from the oxidation of intermediate metabolic products arriving through a whole chain of hormones. In this case, the carbohydrate nutrient is not consumed; the cell receives an “additional” source of energy. The central nervous system has a regulatory effect on these processes, directing or weakening the reverse flow of impulses along special afferent conductors from organs to the central nervous system. The muscles quickly contract or relax. This leads to an increase in the supply of oxygen and nutrients to organs and tissues - or, conversely, their pumping out of the body. The consequence is vasodilation, a decrease in blood pressure resistance, an increase in heat transfer, a change in the permeability of cell membranes, activation of metabolic processes, etc. The central role is played by the hypothalamus (part of the diencephalon). Sensory neurons transmit signals about the state of internal organs to the spinal cord and then to the hypothalamus, where they are processed and sent back to the cerebral cortex. There they contribute to changes in the functional state of different brain areas and regulate other vital processes - breathing, cardiac activity, reaction to external stimuli. This is the mechanism for regulating the functions of the whole body, occurring automatically, but consciously directed. It has been shown that the intensity of the adaptation syndrome depends on the severity of the external influence: the more severe it is, the higher the value of emotional stress becomes. Decreasing the value is an inverse relationship. Pronounced shifts in the mental sphere increase the lability of physiological regulators (this