A Control-Theoretical Approach to Model-Based Medicine

Abstract This paper discusses the notion of model-based medicine which is expected to give a solution to various difficulties in clinical medical systems based upon the familiar methodology of control science. The model-based medicine relies essentially on an integrated model of the visceral system of human body that includes various functional subsystems such as respiration, circulation, thermal, digestion, urinary, endocrine/neuronal systems as its component. We introduce an example of such integrated models of human body developed in our laboratory. Some novel results which enhance the effect of therapy are presented concerning brain hypothermia treatments based on the model. In the latter half of the paper, we propose a new hypothesis on the cause of diabetes based on the integrated model, as well as clinical evidence. We think the real cause of elevation of blood glucose is the homeostasis of glucose concentrations in the brain. In other words, the elevation of blood sugar itself is not as harm as people think, because it is an outcome of control of the brain sugar. Long-term effect of psychological stress is shown to cause diabetes based on our model.