The Placebo Effect: Redefining the Role of the Mind
The mind has often been referred to as the organ of consciousness. Daily functions such as thinking, breathing, and most any task we do rely heavily on use of this precious organ. However, through the use of placebos, it is becoming clear that the mind may have an even greater influence on our daily lives, influencing our perceptions of well- being. The placebo, which is Latin for to please, is a sugar-pill that is given under the guise of being a medication thought to treat an ailment. The use of placebos has shown us that the mind has tremendous potential to induce physiological changes in our body based solely on its perceptions. In example, as we swallow a sugar pill thinking that it is Prozac, we may actually physically feel fewer symptoms of depression as a result of the mind's perception (1). The placebo effect (the phenomenon of perceived benefit from a mock stimulus) has recently opened further doors to our understanding of how the mind works. Once thought of as an inactive, harmless mock substance, placebos have now shown that they induce brain activity. Therefore, the perceived benefit that once was laughed off as fooling the patient, may actually be a consequence of very real physical responses created by the mind, and generating a very real benefit. This paper will explore the various placebo studies that have helped us define and redefine the role of the mind.
The placebo effect is a powerful effect that can consistently induce a perceived benefit. Once the placebo was identified as a tool capable of generating a desired response, it became more widely used as a control in clinical trials. As a result, the placebo has been extensively studied throughout ...
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... works. Our well-being depends on it.
References
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The path physiology of Parkinson’s disease is the pathogenesis if Parkinson disease is unknown. Epidemiologic data suggest genetic, viral, and environmental toxins as possible causes. Nigral and basal loss of neurons with depletion of dopamine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, is the principal biochemical alteration in Parkinson disease. Symptoms in basal ganglia disorders result from an imbalance of dopaminergic (inhibitory) and cholinergic (excitatory) activity in the caudate and putamen of the basal ganglia.
Through my extensive research on depression I have learned a lot of new things. I have learned about the many forms of depression and treatment for depression. I have also learned a little about what is believed to go on chemically in the brain of a clinically depressed person. I was also able to partially determine what sort of role genetics, chemicals and personal influences in the brain. Though I was unable to determine exactly how environmental and personal stress can cause a chemical imbalance in a person, I was even able to speculate about this issue and determine some theories of my own on why and how this may happen.
Depression. Alzheimer’s. Autism. Stroke. Each of these words correlates with negative connotations. They afflict the mind, snatching away members of society like a ghost in the wind, leaving empty, damaged shells in their wake. Days drag into a dull grey blur, mental capacities weakening with each moment. For decades, medical researchers, working tireless hours with stark determination, have committed themselves to finding the cures to these and many more diseases that affect the brain. These scientists leapt over obstacles, ducking under impossibilities to see the clear picture, the clear goal. They refused to stop before discovering treatments that took the form of chemical drugs. Despite this, these treatments come riddled with side effects, strong chemicals alleviating some symptoms while bringing more into play. So research continued. Now, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has risen as a potential treatment for various mental disorders. Although many chemical drugs have spelled relief for countless victims of depression and bipolar disorder, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation stands strong as the most effective treatment for mental disorders because of its influential effect on multiple disorders, minimal display of side effects, low potential for weaponization, and high capacity to surpass chemical drugs.
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Sharma, V., Burt, V., & Ritchie, H. (2010, April 1). Drs. Sharma, Burt, and Ritchie Reply [Letter to the editor]. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 167(4). Retrieved November 17, 2013
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