Placebos have been used in medicine for centuries, sometimes with the best of intentions, other times not. Putting aside the ethics for a moment, what we call the ‘placebo effect’ is one science is still struggling to unravel.
There have been many examples of patients showing improved symptoms after being given a treatment they are told will have an effect, when it is in fact a treatment that has no active ingredients.
What we do know is that there is a clear psychological component to what is happening in many cases. In some cases, it is the positive mindset that improves the symptoms.
One scientist is now doing further research into the phenomenon in the hope of harnessing it to produce better pain management outcomes. Neuroscientist Luana Colloca is leading this research, looking at various possible factors, and found evidence that gene variants may have play a role in the size of the placebo effect.
Dr Colloca’s research has shown measurable changes in brain activity with placebo use, a revelation she described as her “epiphany”. She says her ongoing research indicates that placebos have a place in pain management, not as a replacement but a complement to other treatments.
Have you knowingly had any experiences of using placebos? What effects did they have?
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