37.1 General characteristics
37.2 Classification of environmental factors (N.A. Aghajanyan, 2003).
37.3 Types of adaptation
37.4 Short-term adaptation
37.5 Long-term adaptation
37.6 Physiological role of adaptation
37.7 Biorhythm adaptation function
Profile materials Control questions Situational tasks
37.1. General characteristics
Adaptation is adjustment of an organism to changes in natural, industrial and living conditions. However, it is impossible to equate adaptation to adjustment (V.I. Medvedev, 2003). The concept of "adjustment" is broader than the concept of "adaptation": adaptation is a special type of adjustment. The strategic function of adaptation is development and improvement of the body through perfecting physiological functions. The leading mechanism of adaptation is the increase of the internal possibilities of development. The adaptive capacity of the organism is a measure of its health; in turn, the origins of health are laid down in the adaptive arsenal of the organism. From this point of view, the physiological norm is the maximum adaptive capacity with a minimum expenditure of functional reserves. Adaptation occurs in response to the action of environmental factors that disturb the homeostasis of the body.
37.2. Classification of environmental factors (N.A. Aghajanyan, 2003)
Exogenous: natural, man-made, ecological. Endogenous: psycho-emotional stress, illness, bad habits.
Social: poor quality of life (work, family, housing), fear (crime, terrorism), loss of life values.
Role of stimulus strength. In addition to qualitative differences active factors are also quantitatively different. There are limits of adaptive capabilities under the action of different intensity factors. If the intensity impact deviates (increases or decreases) from the optimum causing a reaction, then such factors are called extreme stimuli (according to I.P. Pavlov), or stressors (according to H. Selye). As a rule, under natural conditions the organism is not affected by a separate factor, but by a complex of environmental factors; these influences are intermittent, often rhythmic.