Fehlregulation

Fehlregulation, or misregulation, is the improper functioning of regulatory mechanisms in a system, resulting in instability, maladaptive responses, or outcomes that deviate from a system’s intended state. It implies that the controls designed to maintain balance or achieve a goal fail to operate correctly, either by being too weak, too strong, or inappropriately timed.

In biological and medical contexts, Fehlregulation often refers to disturbances in regulatory networks that control metabolism, hormone signaling, and gene expression. Examples include endocrine disorders where hormonal feedback fails to stabilize physiological functions, immune dysregulation leading to excessive inflammation, or metabolic pathways that cannot respond properly to changing needs. Such misregulation can contribute to chronic diseases, developmental abnormalities, or organ dysfunction.

In neuroscience and psychology, Fehlregulation describes maladaptive regulation of emotions, impulses, or stress responses. This can manifest as mood instability, anxiety, impulsive behavior, or affective disorders when neural networks that manage regulation do not coordinate effectively.

Ecological and environmental systems can exhibit Fehlregulation when feedback mechanisms that control population sizes, nutrient cycles, or energy flows become impaired, potentially causing ecosystem instability, overgrowth, or crashes. In technology and economics, regulatory failures or poorly designed control systems can lead to safety hazards, market instability, or ineffective policy outcomes.

Causes of Fehlregulation include genetic mutations, environmental stressors, delay or nonlinearity in feedback, and institutional or design flaws. Interventions aim to restore proper regulation through therapeutic, policy, or engineering adjustments that realign feedback with desired states.