Studies on the mechanisms of ageing using the calorie-restricted diet model: a retrospective analysis of the research conducted by the Kharkiv Ontophysiological School

This work forms part of a cycle of publications dedicated to eighty years of research into ontogenetic mechanisms within the framework of the Kharkiv school of ontophysiology. This segment of the cycle highlights the contributions of the staff at the Institute of Biology, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, to the study of physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying the increase in lifespan in experimental animals, utilizing the model of caloric restriction. A critical analysis of experimental data on lifespan extension is presented, along with the hypothesis of the adaptive-hormesis mechanism of caloric restriction’s impact on the organism. It is suggested that dietary stress induces epigenetic and metabolic changes characterized by hormesis, the extent of which depends on the initial metabolic attributes of the organism. This hormetic effect is associated with a deceleration of developmental processes, increased resilience to various stressors, and longevity within the limits of the species-specific maximum lifespan. Further investigation into the effects of dietary stress on the mechanisms of hormesis formation may enable the development of an algorithm for extending lifespan beyond species-specific limits while avoiding the effects of selective dietary pressures. Keywords: History of gerontology; Calorie-restricted diet, ontogenesis, lifespan, hormesis