In medical applications of statistics, such as drug testing or risk assessment, most investigators usually expects linear dose-response pattern and is rather surprised finding that the effects on some individuals are even opposite than those expected from the assumption of linearity. We provide several examples of the non-linear doseresponse pattern, the phenomenon called hormesis, both chemica...

In contrast to the detrimental action of severe stress conditions, the beneficial effects of mild stress, known as hormesis, is increasingly discussed and studied. A variety of applications for hormesis in risk assessment processes, anti-ageing strategies and clinical therapies have been proposed. The molecular mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of hormesis, however, are not yet fully underst...

In responding to Drs. Calabrese and Baldwin’squestion, “At what point, if ever, should hormesis beemployed as the principal dose response default assump-tion in risk assessment? “, we examined the benefits ofreplacing traditional dose response with hormesis. Ingeneral, hormesis provides more complete usefulinformation for risk assessment than does traditionaldose-res...

Hormesis refers to the beneficial effects of a treatment that at a higher intensity is harmful. In one form of hormesis, sublethal exposure to stressors induces a response that results in stress resistance. The principle of stress-response hormesis is increasingly finding application in studies of aging, where hormetic increases in life span have been seen in several animal models.

OBJECTIVE In this commentary I respond to points raised in the commentary by Mushak [Ad hoc and fast forward: the science and control of hormesis growth and development. Environ Health Perspect 117:1333-1338 (2009)], which principally concerns studies by me and my colleagues concerning the frequency of hormesis in toxicology. DISCUSSION In this commentary I demonstrate that Mushak's analysis ...

Perception of hormesis as a significant dose–response phenomenon is found in many sciences without predicting and/or quantifying this low-dose effect with statistical models. Only minority papers published on plant biology or other apply available modelling the relationships, along significance testing for and prediction sub-NOAEL quantities. The threshold quantities opens further evaluation op...

Hormesis describes the drug action of low dose stimulation and high dose inhibition. The hormesis phenomenon has been observed in a wide range of biological systems. Although known in its descriptive context, the underlying mode-of-action of hormesis is largely unexplored. Recently, the hormesis concept has been receiving increasing attention in the field of aging research. It has been proposed...

Hormesis (defined operationally as low-dose stimulation, high-dose inhibition) is often used to promote the notion that while high-level exposures to toxic chemicals could be detrimental to human health, low-level exposures would be beneficial. Some proponents claim hormesis is an adaptive, generalizable phenomenon and argue that the default assumption for risk assessments should be that toxic ...

The session will begin by outlining several examples of what appears to be unexplained or paradoxical effects of plant extracts or drugs given at low doses. We will then explore the definition, basic principles, and ramifications of a concept named " Hormesis. " This fascinating field of research examines the bio-stimulatory effects of numerous substances given at doses below the commonly belie...