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Lecture 1 Physiological Control Systems

The document discusses physiological control systems and homeostasis. It describes how negative feedback loops work to maintain stable internal conditions like core temperature and blood pressure. A negative feedback loop has sensors that detect changes in a controlled variable, an integrator that compares this to the set point, an error signal, and effectors that adjust the variable back to the set point. However, real systems have finite gain and time lags, so the variable oscillates around the point rather than remaining perfectly stable. Positive feedback loops are rare but can cause unstable conditions like congestive heart failure.

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Moreno Laura
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217 views

Lecture 1 Physiological Control Systems

The document discusses physiological control systems and homeostasis. It describes how negative feedback loops work to maintain stable internal conditions like core temperature and blood pressure. A negative feedback loop has sensors that detect changes in a controlled variable, an integrator that compares this to the set point, an error signal, and effectors that adjust the variable back to the set point. However, real systems have finite gain and time lags, so the variable oscillates around the point rather than remaining perfectly stable. Positive feedback loops are rare but can cause unstable conditions like congestive heart failure.

Uploaded by

Moreno Laura
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1

Physiological Control Systems


Homeostasis: need to maintain constant internal
environment
Controlled (or regulated) variables include
core temperature (37C)
ionic composition of fluids (300 mOsm)
plasma glucose concentration (100 mg/dL)
blood pressure (100 mmHg)
muscle length during contraction
etc.
2
Set point of a variable
Optimal value of a variable
Not always constant. Examples:
fever ! core temperature
muscle length at different joint positions
No real set point because no optimal
reference value. Example:
chronic hypertension: high maintained blood
pressure resulting from cardiovascular disease
3
Control theory: three types of systems
Negative feedback system
most common
response to a change tends to negate (diminish) change
stabilizes system
returns variable to set point
Positive feedback system
rare in biological systems, but notable important
instances
response to a change tends to enhance change
inherently unstable resulting in all-or-none events
Open loop system
system lacking feedback control (more later)
4
Parts of a negative feedback system (or loop)
Sensor: measures controlled variable
Integrator: compares sensor information with
set point
Error signal: output of integrator that controls
effector
Effector: mechanism that ultimately adjusts
controlled variable
5
Block diagram of negative feedback loop
Perturbing
factors
Controlled
variable
Sensor
set point
Integrator
Error
signal
Effector
6
Real example: room temperature during winter
Cold air
entry
Room
temperature
Thermocouple
70 F
Thermo-
stat
k(70"temp)
Heat output
from furnace
7
Gain determines response of system to a
perturbation
Error signal typically never zero
Gain determines sensitivity of effector to a small
perturbation of variable
High gain: system maintains small error
Low gain: system tolerates significant error
8
Time lag also alters response to a perturbation
Time needed to
sense change in controlled variable
process signal (integrator)
communicate with effector
restore variable to set point
Example: room temp change after opening door:
9
A perfect controlled system
has infinite gain
small deviation produces large error signal
has zero time lag
responds immediately to a deviation
RESULT: controlled variable perfectly kept at set
point
REALITY: this is never the case!
finite gain and response time (time lag)
HENCE: response as seen in previous two slides
i.e., controlled variable oscillates about the set
point
10
System gone awry e.g., pathological case
System with out-of-control oscillations
amplitude dependent on gain
frequency inversely dependent on time lag
Example: furnace to big for small house (too
much gain: e.g., Madison Sq. Garden heating
plant), with large time lag (e.g., boiler several
blocks from baseboards)
Result: poor control of house temperature
Large amplitude, low-frequency oscillation, in
house temperature
11
Real physiological control system: restoration
of mean BP following hemorrhage
Loss of
blood
Blood pres.
Stretch of
arterial receptors
100 mmHg
Brain
(medulla)
k(100 mmHg"BP)
Heart rate
#Vessel
diameter
Very rapid: occurs every time you get out of bed!
Bad set point can cause hypertension!
A high gain, short
time-lag system
12
Another example: long time-lag (several days)
system for blood-pressure control
Consume salt
and water
Blood pres.
Stretch of
atrial receptors
(sensitive to blood volume)
100 mmHg
Brain
(medulla)
k(BP"100 mmHg)
salt-wasting
hormones
salt-saving
hormones
kidney
function
+
"
Occurs whenever one goes out drinking!
13
Positive feedback systems
Recall change in variable results in response that
exacerbates change.
Rare in biological systems, but notable exceptions:
nerve impulses
blood clotting
uterine contractions during delivery of a newborn
other examples as well
Positive feedback usually pathological, resulting in
vicious cycles--i.e., a bad change in a variable leads to
further worsening of the variable
Example: congestive heart failure (CHF)
14
CHF: A drop in blood pressure leading to
further decreases in the pressure
Death of
heart tissue
Blood pools in veins
( venous pressure)
Heart becomes
engorged
# Volume per
cardiac cycle
# Arterial blood
pressure
15
Open-loop systems
Controlled variable normally under negative-feedback
control becomes disrupted by breaking of feedback loop
No negative (or positive) feedback
Variable tends to increase or decrease in one direction
Pathological examples: Parkinsons disease, sun stroke
(hyperthermia)
Extremely rapid events normally operate in open-loop mode
Why? To overcome time lag inherent to control system
Examples: rapid piano playing, rapid typing, etc.

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