Butler C, Steptoe A
Br J Clin Psychol. 1986 Sep;25 ( Pt 3):173-83. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1986.tb00693.x.
This study evaluated the effects of placebo medication on pulmonary responses in asthmatics, and investigated the roles of expectancy and anxiety. Twelve adult asthmatics were recruited for a laboratory experiment described as a study of the effectiveness of a new bronchodilator. Distilled nebulized water was inhaled in each session. The solution was described as water in session 1 (control), while in sessions 2 and 3 subjects were told that the nebulizer contained a chemical likely to cause chest tightness and wheezing (bronchoconstrictive suggestion). Prior to the inhalation sequence in sessions 2 and 3, subjects inhaled from an aerosol that they were told contained either a powerful new drug (placebo) or a non-active substance (neutral). Pulmonary function was measured with the forced oscillation technique and spirometry, while autonomic parameters, anxiety and expectancies were also monitored. Pulmonary function deteriorated following the inhalations accompanied by bronchoconstrictive suggestion, and this effect was abolished by pre-treatment with placebo. Neither subject expectations nor changes in anxiety were associated with the experimental manipulations. The implications of these results for theories of placebo action are considered.
本研究评估了安慰剂药物对哮喘患者肺部反应的影响，并调查了预期和焦虑的作用。招募了12名成年哮喘患者参与一项实验室实验，该实验被描述为一项关于新型支气管扩张剂有效性的研究。每次实验中均吸入雾化蒸馏水。在第1次实验（对照）中，溶液被描述为水，而在第2次和第3次实验中，受试者被告知雾化器中含有一种可能导致胸闷和喘息的化学物质（支气管收缩暗示）。在第2次和第3次实验的吸入序列之前，受试者从一种气雾剂中吸入，他们被告知该气雾剂要么含有一种强效新药（安慰剂），要么含有一种无活性物质（中性）。使用强迫振荡技术和肺活量测定法测量肺功能，同时还监测自主神经参数、焦虑和预期。在伴有支气管收缩暗示的吸入后，肺功能恶化，而安慰剂预处理可消除这种影响。受试者的预期和焦虑变化均与实验操作无关。本文考虑了这些结果对安慰剂作用理论的影响。
