Things That Don't Make Sense

Posted By Guest on September 12, 2009

The placebo effect - Things That Don't Make Sense

The Placebo Effect

When a sugar pill makes a patient better, that effect is called the placebo effect. The phenomenon is related to the perception and expectation which the patient has; if the substance is viewed as helpful, it can heal, but if it is viewed as harmful, it can cause negative effects, which is known as the nocebo effect. Placebo effects continue to be a scientific mystery.

The relationship between expectation and therapeutic outcome is a wonderful model.

- Dr. Fabrizio Benedetti

We have a lot to learn about what is happening here, Dr. Fabrizio 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 the use of placebos work.