A. D. (Bud) Craig
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691156767
- eISBN:
- 9781400852727
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691156767.003.0002
- Subject:
- Biology, Neurobiology
This chapter discusses the fundamental significance of homeostasis and the autonomic nervous system. The goal of homeostasis is the balanced, energy-efficient maintenance of the integrity and health ...
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This chapter discusses the fundamental significance of homeostasis and the autonomic nervous system. The goal of homeostasis is the balanced, energy-efficient maintenance of the integrity and health of the body in support of the well-being and advancement of the individual and the species. The optimal utilization of energy is key for the survival of every living organism, and it is an essential and decisive determinant of natural selection. Virtually every facet of homeostasis interacts with hormones, neuromodulators, and signaling peptides that are directly involved in energy balance. Ultimately, the need for optimal energy utilization in both body and brain is the evolutionary pressure that produced the progressive interoceptive integration in the insular cortex that led to the emergence of human subjective awareness.Less
This chapter discusses the fundamental significance of homeostasis and the autonomic nervous system. The goal of homeostasis is the balanced, energy-efficient maintenance of the integrity and health of the body in support of the well-being and advancement of the individual and the species. The optimal utilization of energy is key for the survival of every living organism, and it is an essential and decisive determinant of natural selection. Virtually every facet of homeostasis interacts with hormones, neuromodulators, and signaling peptides that are directly involved in energy balance. Ultimately, the need for optimal energy utilization in both body and brain is the evolutionary pressure that produced the progressive interoceptive integration in the insular cortex that led to the emergence of human subjective awareness.
