Do not get fooled by some slang words in reports on biomedical research, in which they write, that people clearly reacting to receive placebo fools will not name. As shown by recent studies, most likely these are people who are usually characterized more decent words: fair, open, courageous in the face of danger and always ready to lend a helping hand to those who were in trouble.

The authors of the study believe that perhaps the fools are those who placebo is not valid: they are angry, hostile, prone to the negative perception of reality and, it seems, are the least able to organize your thoughts and tune in to the healing of his body.

In clinical studies placebo is a harmless substance that mimics the drug. With the help of scientists can compare the results. If the test substance or method of treatment is more effective than placebo effect such substance or method is considered to be "valid". The so-called "placebo effect" for a long time did not pay enough attention to it as "positive dynamics" in the condition of the patient is explained by certain processes, "what is happening in your head": such an improvement believed imaginary, short-term reaction naive, gullible patients are optimists.

However, the fact is that the placebo effect is often very genuine, very strong evidence that our consciousness affects physical pain, infection and abnormal condition of the body. The belief that the treatment will work, may help to mobilize the immune system, to ease the pain and speed recovery.

If doctors will know who is better and who is worse responds to placebo, they will be able to gain useful technique to determine which patients to appoint as treatment, placebo and which will require more intensive treatment. And scientists, who are trying to work out and to determine the difference between the objective results of treatment and those feelings that the patient is a participant of the experiment, it is useful to know what kind of people most likely to respond to treatment regardless of what drugs they took real drug or placebo.

Now the doctors, and scientists have something to say, the study results were published last week in the journal "Necropsycho-pharmacology ("Neuropsychopharmacology."). About 50 volunteers from the University of Michigan participated in the study, which were identified and evaluated those personal characteristics that, as a rule, remain constant throughout the life of man. In addition to altruism and ability to empathize with the participants of the experiment measured the severity of such qualities as prone to anxiety, extraversion, openness to new experiences, ability to accept and conscientiousness.

Then the volunteers in the facial muscles in the area of nodules introduced physiological solution of two kinds: one of them was to cause pain, and the other will not. Some from time to time was given painkillers and the other a placebo. None of the study participants did not know that they have entered, and what drugs they were given to relieve pain. The subjects were regularly seen degrees of pain they felt and effectiveness received analgesics. In addition, the researchers measured the levels of cortisol in the blood of patients, a stress hormone, which is a good criterion of anxiety and discomfort, as well as determined the degree of reaction of the organism on pain medication at the level of activity of the brain parts.

Those volunteers who felt the pain when taking a pseudo-painkillers, i.e. placebo, not just celebrated their "pain relieving effect", even the reaction of their brain pointed out that the mechanisms of suppression of pain in their body - natural selection in the brain opioidnogo chemicals intensified to the maximum extent. When the scientists looked, one of the subjects response to placebo was more pronounced, they found that their personal characteristics more than others expressed such qualities as altruism and the ability steadfastly to withstand stressful situations. Moreover, to the maximum extent manifested in such things as truthfulness, openness, honesty towards others. And finally, they have less than others noted alertness and a tendency to manipulate other people.

Here's how commented Dr. hon-Kar Zubieta (Jon-Kar Zubieta), the principal author of the research and an expert on the placebo effect from the University of Michigan: "People with these traits have maximum ability to perceive information from the environment - in this case, placebo - and convert it to cause biological changes".

Melissa Healy (Melissa Healy)