Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, and National Institute of Neuroscience, Turin, Italy.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2011 Jun 27;366(1572):1790-8. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2010.0381.
Although the great increase in interest in the placebo phenomenon was spurred by the clinical implications of its use, the progressive elucidation of the neurobiological and pharmacological mechanisms underlying the placebo effect also helps cast new light on the relationship between mind (and brain) and body, a topic of foremost philosophical importance but also a major medical issue in light of the complex interactions between the brain on the one hand and body functions on the other. While the concept of placebo can be a general one, with a broad definition generally applicable to many different contexts, the description of the cerebral processes called into action in specific situations can vary widely. In this paper, examples will be given where physiological or pathological conditions are altered following the administration of an inert substance or verbal instructions tailored to induce expectation of a change, and explanations will be offered with details on neurotransmitter changes and neural pathways activated. As an instance of how placebo effects can extend beyond the clinical setting, data in the physical performance domain and implications for sport competitions will also be presented and discussed.
尽管人们对安慰剂现象的兴趣大增是受到其应用的临床意义的推动，但对安慰剂效应背后的神经生物学和药理学机制的逐步阐明，也有助于人们对身心关系（mind-body relationship）这一具有首要哲学重要性的主题有新的认识，同时鉴于大脑与身体功能之间的复杂相互作用，这也是一个主要的医学问题。虽然安慰剂的概念可以是一般性的，具有广泛的定义，适用于许多不同的情境，但在特定情况下所调用的大脑过程的描述可能会有很大的差异。在本文中，将举例说明在给予惰性物质或专门设计的口头指令以诱导对变化的期望后，生理或病理状况会发生改变，并将提供有关神经递质变化和激活的神经通路的详细解释。作为安慰剂效应如何超越临床环境的一个实例，还将呈现和讨论物理表现领域的数据及其对体育竞赛的影响。
