THE ELEMENT
The Chemistry Behind the Placebo Effect: One phenomenon within medicine which has always fascinated me is the placebo effect. The placebo effect can be defined as either a psychological or physiological improvement due to treatment of a patient with either an intent substance, such as a sugar pill, or a simulated procedure. Although numerous studies have been conducted on possible explanations for the placebo effect, so far no decisive conclusion has been reached. It’s more indicative that the effect is caused by the patient's expectation of the treatment, rather than as a direct effect of the drug or procedure. In modern medicine, a placebo drug is often used as a control in clinical trials. For example, when trialling the COVID AstraZeneca vaccine recently, some volunteers were unknowingly given placebo vaccines. Most notably, certain antidepressants have failed to provide more benefits than the placebo effect, suggesting how the placebo effect could be more psychological than physical. Interestingly, the colour, size and price of a pill can also affect patient expectations for effectiveness of the drug. A study in 2008 found that
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participants who took a painkiller sold at a relatively higher price experienced greater pain tolerance when subjected to a mild electric shock. Ethical issues can surround the use of placebo medications within clinical trials. The researchers know that the medication is fake, but they imply that the treatment is real. This could be considered dishonest, and against the bioethical code of medical practitioners. The declaration of Helsinki has updated their guidelines surrounding placebo use in clinical trials, and states that they can only be used when there isn’t another effective option for a control.
Possible explanations for the placebo effect have a physiological and psychological basis, and are influenced by factors such as expectations and cultural beliefs. Studies have shown that the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the ventral striatum in the brain could influence the placebo effect. Also, patients with chronic illnesses who frequently experience a positive outcome from their treatment, and therefore strongly anticipate
