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The Placebo Effect

The Placebo Effect. Key: AWL to Study , Low-frequency Vocabulary. What is the placebo effect?. The Placebo Effect. Refers to an improvement in symptoms as a result of medical treatment with an inactive substance or staged medical procedure.

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The Placebo Effect

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  1. The Placebo Effect Key: AWL to Study, Low-frequency Vocabulary What is the placebo effect?

  2. The Placebo Effect • Refers to an improvement in symptoms as a result of medical treatment with an inactive substance or staged medical procedure. • patient recovers without genuine medical intervention • attributed to belief in the effectiveness of treatment • belief mediates healing of symptoms • cases reported since the early 20th century Explain how the placebo effect works.

  3. Dramatic Example: Knee Surgery • Doctor conducted controlled experiment on three groups of patients with knee pain. • first group: shaved off thin layers of damaged cartilage • second group: flushed out the knee joint and disposed of unhealthy tissue What do you think the doctor did with the third group?

  4. Third Group • The surgeonsimulatedsurgery by anesthetizingpatients and making incisions. • No knee surgery was performed. • Patients were informed of staged operations two years later. Do you think that this experiment was ethical? Why or why not?

  5. Results • Knee pain diminished significantly in all three groups. • no difference in the level of pain decrease in any one group • uniform results mediated by the placebo effect What is your opinion of these amazing results?

  6. Placebo Patient • Quoted as saying: “Anything is possible when you put your mind to it.” Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

  7. Research on Other Diseases • Depression is an area of major interest: • recent increase in use of antidepressants • critics claim that the $9.6 billion industry is making profit on pills no more effective than placebos Do you think doctors today overprescribe medication?

  8. Antidepressant Study • Psychologyprofessor at University of Connecticut obtained hard data on clinical studies of six major antidepressants. • Concluded: • 80% of the effectiveness of antidepressants was due to the placebo effect. What is your opinion of the antidepressant industry?

  9. Neuroscience • Neuroscientists have technology to determine the brain mechanisms responsible for the placebo effect. • Brain imaging techniques record events instigated by anticipation of symptom relief. • The body’s own pain relief center releases chemical to ease pain. Why does the body have its own pain relief center?

  10. Other Studies • Parkinson’s disease: dopamine deficiency is a factor • Patients release dopamine upon ingesting a placebo. Why do patients need placebos to instigate the placebo effect if it is their own brains that do all the work?

  11. The Body’s Capacity to Heal • Researchers conclude that the body has innate healing capacity. • invoked through the power of belief What other problems could you solve with the power of belief?

  12. Up Until This Point… • Doctors have investedtherapeutic effort in drugs and surgery. • effective way in which to increase incomes Do you think more energy should be put into exploring the less invasive biology of belief?

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