Threshold
Threshold (medicine)
Threshold (/ˈθrɛʃoʊld/, from Old English þrescold, "doorway") in the field of medicine refers to the point at which a stimulus begins to become noticeable or the point at which a change in a physiological variable triggers a response.
Definition
In medical terms, a threshold is the level of strength a stimulus must reach to be detected. In physiology, it is the point at which a stimulus is of sufficient intensity to begin to produce an effect.
Types of Thresholds
There are several types of thresholds in medicine, including:
- Pain threshold: The point at which a stimulus (such as heat, pressure, or chemical change) begins to cause pain.
- Hearing threshold: The quietest sound that a person can hear.
- Taste threshold: The minimum concentration of a substance that can be tasted.
- Vision threshold: The minimum level of light intensity at which a light source can be seen.
Clinical Significance
Understanding thresholds is important in many areas of medicine. For example, in pharmacology, the dose-response relationship often involves a threshold dose; below this dose, the medication has no effect, but above this dose, the effect of the medication becomes noticeable. Similarly, in physiology, understanding the threshold for various stimuli can help in diagnosing and treating conditions such as hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity.
See Also
References
- Medical Dictionary. (n.d.). Threshold. Retrieved from https://www.medical-dictionary.com/threshold
- Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Threshold. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threshold
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Threshold
- Wikipedia's article - Threshold
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