A narrative review of the placebo effect: historical roots, current applications, and emerging insights.

IF 2.4 3区 医学 Q3 PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Pub Date : 2025-03-13 DOI:10.1007/s00228-025-03818-6
Cagri Ozpolat, Yagmur Okcay, Kemal Gokhan Ulusoy, Oğuzhan Yildiz
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose: Placebo is a term to define physiologically inactive compounds used in treatment that causes physical and emotional changes. The placebo effect, driven by expectation and conditioning, plays a significant role in various conditions like pain, depression, and Parkinson's disease, while the nocebo effect can hinder treatment outcomes. Understanding mechanisms such as neuromodulation and genetics has gained importance in modern medicine. This review aims to explore the clinical relevance of placebo responses, particularly in neuropsychiatric disorders, and their potential in personalized medicine. By integrating placebo research into healthcare, it highlights opportunities to enhance treatment efficacy, improve patient well-being, and reduce reliance on pharmacological interventions.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Recent studies were reviewed to evaluate placebo effects, and the variability of the placebo response in neuropsychiatric disorders was summarized.

Results: Placebo effects significantly impact treatment outcomes across various conditions, including Parkinson's disease, depression, pain syndromes, and epilepsy. The mechanisms involve neurobiological and psychological factors, with evidence suggesting that placebo interventions can modulate neurotransmitter activity and improve patient well-being.

Conclusion: Integrating placebo research into clinical practice may enhance treatment outcomes, reduce drug dependency, and support personalized medicine by tailoring interventions to individual placebo responsiveness. Understanding placebo and nocebo mechanisms can optimize therapeutic strategies while minimizing unnecessary pharmacological treatments.

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来源期刊
CiteScore
5.40
自引率
3.40%
发文量
170
审稿时长
3-8 weeks
期刊介绍: The European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology publishes original papers on all aspects of clinical pharmacology and drug therapy in humans. Manuscripts are welcomed on the following topics: therapeutic trials, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, pharmacogenetics, drug metabolism, adverse drug reactions, drug interactions, all aspects of drug development, development relating to teaching in clinical pharmacology, pharmacoepidemiology, and matters relating to the rational prescribing and safe use of drugs. Methodological contributions relevant to these topics are also welcomed. Data from animal experiments are accepted only in the context of original data in man reported in the same paper. EJCP will only consider manuscripts describing the frequency of allelic variants in different populations if this information is linked to functional data or new interesting variants. Highly relevant differences in frequency with a major impact in drug therapy for the respective population may be submitted as a letter to the editor. Straightforward phase I pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic studies as parts of new drug development will only be considered for publication if the paper involves -a compound that is interesting and new in some basic or fundamental way, or -methods that are original in some basic sense, or -a highly unexpected outcome, or -conclusions that are scientifically novel in some basic or fundamental sense.
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