Scientific Foundations
Scientific Foundations & References
The research and literature informing the Coherence Model.
A Note on How These References Are Used
The references below represent established scientific literature in fields that inform the concepts incorporated into the Coherence Model. They are organized by domain.
These references support individual components of the model—stress physiology, autonomic regulation, interoception, and related areas. They do not constitute evidence validating the Coherence Model as a unified framework. That distinction is intentional and important: there is meaningful scientific support for many of the underlying concepts; that is not the same as empirical validation of the synthesis itself.
Stress Physiology & Allostasis
- McEwen, B. S. (2007). Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation. Physiological Reviews, 87(3), 873–904.
- McEwen, B. S., & Wingfield, J. C. (2010). What is in a name? Integrating homeostasis, allostasis, and stress. Hormones and Behavior, 57(2), 105–111.
- Sterling, P. (2012). Allostasis: A model of predictive regulation. Physiology & Behavior, 106(1), 5–15.
- Sapolsky, R. (2004). Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers. Henry Holt and Company.
Autonomic Regulation
- Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.
- Thayer, J. F., & Lane, R. D. (2009). Claude Bernard and the heart–brain connection. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 33(2), 81–88.
- Buzsáki, G. (2006). Rhythms of the Brain. Oxford University Press.
Interoception
Circadian Biology & Sleep
- Irwin, M. R. (2015). Why sleep is important for health: A psychoneuroimmunology perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 66, 143–172.
- Xie, L., Kang, H., Xu, Q., Chen, M. J., Liao, Y., Thiyagarajan, M., … Nedergaard, M. (2013). Sleep drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain. Science, 342(6156), 373–377.
- Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Scribner.
Systems Biology
Bioelectric Signaling
- Levin, M. (2014). Endogenous bioelectric signaling networks: Exploiting voltage gradients for control of growth and form. Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering, 16, 295–323.
- Levin, M. (2021). Bioelectric signaling: Reprogrammable circuits underlying embryogenesis, regeneration, and cancer. Cell, 184(8), 1971–1989.
- Fröhlich, H. (1988). Biological Coherence and Response to External Stimuli. Springer.
Metabolic Regulation
Developmental & Structural Biology
Interpersonal & Social Synchrony
Complexity Science
On the Coherence Model Itself
The Coherence Model is a proposed systems framework developed to organize and apply these concepts in a wellness context. It draws on the fields above but has not been independently validated as a unified framework. The distinction between 'science supporting components of the model' and 'evidence validating the model as a whole' is maintained throughout this work.
Explore the Model
See how these foundational concepts are organized into the Coherence Model framework.
Learn About the Coherence Model