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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Physiological Processes

Negative feedback

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

nounCommon term

In anatomy & physiology, negative feedback means: A control system in which a change in the body triggers a response that reverses the change and brings conditions back toward a set point. It is the main way homeostasis is maintained.

In Turkish: negatif geri bildirim, negatif geri besleme

How it is used

Physiology students describe feedback loops with a sensor (receptor), a control center and an effector. Examples include the control of body temperature and blood glucose. Positive feedback, which amplifies a change, is much rarer; contractions during childbirth are the classic example.

Example sentences

  1. When blood glucose rises, insulin brings it back down: a typical negative feedback loop.

  2. Thyroid hormone levels are controlled by negative feedback on the pituitary gland.

Common collocations

  • negative feedback loop
  • negative feedback mechanism
  • positive feedback
  • set point
  • homeostasisThe body's ability to keep its internal conditions, such as temperature, blood sugar and water balance, fairly stable even when the outside environment changes.
  • hormoneA chemical messenger made by a gland and carried in the blood to target organs, where it changes how they work. Insulin, cortisol and thyroxine are examples.
  • thyroid glandA butterfly-shaped endocrine gland at the front of the neck, below the larynx. It makes the thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), which control metabolic rate, and the hormone calcitonin.
  • physiologyThe study of how the body and its parts work, for example how the heart pumps blood, how nerves send signals and how the kidneys make urine.

More terms: Physiological Processes

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.