Overcompensation stimulation: A mechanism for hormetic effects

Whether hormetic responses result from a direct or an overcompensation type of stimulatory response has been an unresolved and contentious issue in bo th radiation and chemical toxicology. The goal of the present article is to identify numerous examples of overcompensation stimulation in the biologic al/biomedical literature and to evaluate their descriptive and quantitative features. The findings provide support for the hypothesis that hormetic do se-response relationships from a broad array of biological models can occur after an initial disruption in homeostasis. The finding also demonstrates the significant role of temporal factors in the assessment of dose response relationships.