INHIBITION
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 1702 ▶ |
| Object type | General information |
A constraint strong enough to block a process.
The inhibitor blocks the process by substituting itself to some element crucial to the process.
In many cases the inhibition process is coupled with an excitation process. Their alternance allows the system to maintain itself in a restricted range of stability conditions. Excessive or too frequent excitation in some critical process may destroy the system, if not compensated in due time.
In many chemical and enzymatic reactions the inhibitor is more strongly reactive that the normal substrate which feeds the reaction. In some cases inhibition is irreversible, i.e. when the newly created bond is so strong that it cannot anymore be broken, or when the substrate is overwhelmed. In other cases however, inhibition remains reversible.
The concept seems useful at least if used carefully, as a heuristic metaphor in psychology, economics and possibly in ecology and social sciences.
A recent example could be the disappearance of cod's reproductive capacity under the pressure of overfishing on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and its possible irreversible replacement by other species in its former niche. This type of phenomena in ecosystems is well documented.
See also
Catalysis, Constraint, Far-from-equilibrium condition, Instability, Oscillators, Periodicity, Stability (Poly-)