Lynch J J
The Life Care Foundation, Towson, Maryland 21204, USA.
Integr Physiol Behav Sci. 1998 Apr-Jun;33(2):130-6. doi: 10.1007/BF02688657.
Constructs such as homeostasis and fight/flight have supported a scientific approach to physiology that has yielded a vast database of obvious heuristic value. Yet in spite of its value, these constructs have tended to create a mind-set that unwittingly supports what this article has labeled a "physiology of exclusion." Reinforced by the philosophy of René Descartes, this perspective has led investigators to focus on isolated or separate animal organisms that are reflexively wired for self-preservation. It has created a mind-set in which both research investigators and the public at large tend to view the human body as either in a steady state of vigilance, maximally prepared for fight/flight, or in a state of quiescence. Assumptions of the solitary body, and solitary man wired to react for "self" preservation, has made it difficult to incorporate a growing body of evidence that indicates that social support and loving relationships are conducive to good health. It also has made it difficult for investigators to fully understand why human loneliness is a major cause of premature death. This article delineates these trends and offers a new construct, one that suggests that a "physiology of inclusion" be added to the prevailing view of a "physiology of exclusion." Recent cardiovascular research is cited to help underscore the potential heuristic value of this new physiological construct.
诸如内稳态和“战斗/逃跑”反应等概念支撑了一种生理学的科学研究方法，这种方法已经产生了大量具有明显启发价值的数据库。然而，尽管这些概念有其价值，但它们往往会营造一种思维定式，这种思维定式在不经意间支持了本文所称的“排斥生理学”。在勒内·笛卡尔哲学的强化下，这种观点导致研究人员将重点放在那些为自我保护而本能地建立起反射机制的孤立或独立的动物有机体上。它营造了一种思维定式，在这种思维定式中，研究人员和广大公众都倾向于将人体视为要么处于高度警惕的稳定状态，为“战斗/逃跑”做好充分准备，要么处于静止状态。对孤立个体以及为“自我”保护而做出反应的孤立个体的假设，使得难以纳入越来越多的证据，这些证据表明社会支持和亲密关系有益于健康。这也使得研究人员难以充分理解为什么人类孤独是过早死亡的一个主要原因。本文阐述了这些趋势，并提出了一个新的概念，即建议在当前“排斥生理学”的主流观点中加入“包容生理学”。文中引用了近期的心血管研究来强调这一新的生理学概念的潜在启发价值。
