The Placebo Effect - What's your theory

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In summary: Like a link or a book title, something that would allow someone to find the original study if they wanted to.In summary, scientists have observed the powerful effects of the placebo effect, where a seemingly inert substance can produce real physiological changes in the body. Researchers have found that this effect is likely due to the mind's ability to control the body's biochemistry. However, the exact mechanisms and conditions under which the placebo effect works are still unknown. Further research is needed to fully understand the mind-body interaction and potential applications for different illnesses. One study by Fabrizio Benedetti showed that a saline placebo can reduce tremors and muscle stiffness in Parkinson's patients, and this effect was diminished when a drug that blocks the effects of morphine was
  • #1
Kt_Atis
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This is something strange that has baffeled scientist. Several times a day, for several days, you induce pain in someone. You control the pain with morphine until the final day of the experiment, when you replace the morphine with saline solution. Guess what? The saline takes the pain away.

This is the placebo effect: somehow, sometimes, a whole lot of nothing can be very powerful. Except it's not quite nothing. When Fabrizio Benedetti of the University of Turin in Italy carried out the above experiment, he added a final twist by adding naloxone, a drug that blocks the effects of morphine, to the saline. The shocking result? The pain-relieving power of saline solution disappeared.

So what is going on? Doctors have known about the placebo effect for decades, and the naloxone result seems to show that the placebo effect is somehow biochemical. But apart from that, we simply don't know.
Benedetti has since shown that a saline placebo can also reduce tremors and muscle stiffness in people with Parkinson's disease (Nature Neuroscience, vol 7, p 587). He and his team measured the activity of neurons in the patients' brains as they administered the saline. They found that individual neurons in the subthalamic nucleus (a common target for surgical attempts to relieve Parkinson's symptoms) began to fire less often when the saline was given, and with fewer "bursts" of firing - another feature associated with Parkinson's.

The neuron activity decreased at the same time as the symptoms improved: the saline was definitely doing something. We have a lot to learn about what is happening here, Benedetti says, but one thing is clear: the mind can affect the body's biochemistry. "The relationship between expectation and therapeutic outcome is a wonderful model to understand mind-body interaction," he says. Researchers now need to identify when and where placebo works. There may be diseases in which it has no effect. There may be a common mechanism in different illnesses. As yet, we just don't know.
 
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  • #2
You have endogenous opioids that are natural pain killers involved in the placebo effect...

And so if you inject an opioid blocker (naloxone) you no longer have an effect of placebo...

What is interesting is the number of 'side effects' that people complain about with placebo...

And yes you are correct... Your mind can control physiological responces to pain... For example, many soldiers in the war have such horrific injuries but carry on fighting and don't feel the pain... Adrenaline?... Or is it that they have so many other stimuli that the can't think about it?... Probably a combination of both...

You've raised a lot of interesting questions though...
 
  • #3
Kt_Atis said:
This is something strange that has baffeled scientist. Several times a day, for several days, you induce pain in someone. You control the pain with morphine until the final day of the experiment, when you replace the morphine with saline solution. Guess what? The saline takes the pain away.

This is the placebo effect: somehow, sometimes, a whole lot of nothing can be very powerful. Except it's not quite nothing. When Fabrizio Benedetti of the University of Turin in Italy carried out the above experiment, he added a final twist by adding naloxone, a drug that blocks the effects of morphine, to the saline. The shocking result? The pain-relieving power of saline solution disappeared.
Do you have a citation for that study? It will help for others to discuss it if they know where the full details are reported.


So what is going on? Doctors have known about the placebo effect for decades, and the naloxone result seems to show that the placebo effect is somehow biochemical. But apart from that, we simply don't know.
Benedetti has since shown that a saline placebo can also reduce tremors and muscle stiffness in people with Parkinson's disease (Nature Neuroscience, vol 7, p 587).
Here's the full citation on that one (again, helpful if we're going to discuss papers to provide the full citation so others can easily locate it).
Benedetti F, Colloca L, Torre E, Lanotte M, Melcarne A, Pesare M, Bergamasco B, Lopiano L. Placebo-responsive Parkinson patients show decreased activity in single neurons of subthalamic nucleus Nature Neuroscience 7, 587 - 588 (2004)
 
  • #4
What do you mean citation? I'm sorry I am new to this stuff.
 
  • #5
Kt_Atis said:
What do you mean citation? I'm sorry I am new to this stuff.

The reference for the study you pulled that information from.
 

1. What is the placebo effect?

The placebo effect is a phenomenon in which a patient experiences a positive response to a treatment despite receiving a fake or inactive substance. This response can include improvements in symptoms or even a complete cure.

2. What is your theory on the placebo effect?

My theory on the placebo effect is that it is largely driven by the power of expectation and belief. When a patient believes they are receiving a real treatment, their brain can release natural chemicals and hormones that can have a healing effect on the body.

3. How does the placebo effect work?

The exact mechanisms of the placebo effect are not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a complex interplay between the brain, body, and behavior. Some theories suggest that the placebo effect may activate the body's natural healing processes, while others suggest it may be a result of the patient's mindset and expectations.

4. Is the placebo effect real?

Yes, the placebo effect is a well-documented and scientifically proven phenomenon. It has been observed in numerous studies and across a variety of medical conditions. However, the extent and effectiveness of the placebo effect can vary greatly from person to person.

5. Can the placebo effect be harnessed for medical treatment?

Yes, the placebo effect can be harnessed for medical treatment and is often used in clinical trials as a control for testing the effectiveness of new drugs. It can also be used in clinical practice, such as in the form of placebo surgeries, to help patients experience relief from their symptoms or improve their overall health.

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