CHAPTER 5 – SUMMARY NOTES

Listen to the lecture and complete the summary notes. Write NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS for each blank.

Introduction
Topic: Placebo Effect (PE)
Main idea 1: What PE is and how P has been used
Main idea 2: (1) _________________ of PE
Main idea 3: Studies of PE and questions about the use of Ps in (2) _________________
Main idea 1:
o Meaning
 Placebo: (3) _________________
Can be sugar pills, therapy or surgery
 Sham treatment, not actively treat the illness
 Placebo effect: (4) _________________ from taking placebo
 Improvement in health thanks to placebo, not real treatment
 belief helps patients
o How Placebo has been used
 1930s – 1940s
 doctor give patients for aches, pains and (5) _________________
 not say that pills not real medicine
 patients feel better
 the act of (6) _________________ gives positive effect
 Now, used in clinical trials of new drug
 Blind clinical trial:
 Volunteer patients with same illness split into 2 groups (one with new drug; one with
placebo)
 (7) _________________ know the splitting, patients don’t know
 Purpose: compare the (8) _________________
 Double-blind trial:
 Researchers and patients don’t know who takes real drug
 Purpose: have (9) _________________ when analyzing results or expectations not affect
results
 In theory: placebo should bring no effect
 In reality:
 in some studies, 30 – 40% patients with placebo have improvements
 in some trials: up to (10) _________________
Main idea 2
o Illness takes its (11) _________________
 feel better when doing nothing for treatment
o (12) _________________ effect happens in patient’s mind
 Patients expect to improve, they improve
 According to studies:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  Doctor says that treatment works, placebo works
 Doctor says that treatment might not (13) _________________, placebo is not likely to work
o Therapeutic process
 Doctors are (14) _________________, attentive  patients feel (15) _________________
 Placebo effect is psychological, placebo gives actual physiological change
Main idea 3
o Study at UCLA with 51 patients (16) _________________
 One group with placebo, one group with anti-depressant drug
 53% with depressant drug feel better, 38% with placebo feel better
 Surprising point: detect actual increase in brain activity in patients (17) _________________
 Results repeat in studies treating many diseases, even (18) _________________ and common
cold
 Chemical change in brains comes from placebo effect, from belief to be better
o What to do with placebo
 Researchers:
 Placebos bring (19) _________________, may help patients
 Doctors should give patients a try
 Doctors don’t want to use placebo
 Prescribing placebo is (20) _________________
 Real debate in medical community

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 CHAPTER 5 – SUMMARY NOTES KEYS
Listen to the lecture and complete the summary notes. Write NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS for each blank.

Introduction
Topic: Placebo Effect (PE)
Main idea 1: What PE is and how P has been used
Main idea 2: (1) Possible causes of PE
Main idea 3: Studies of PE and questions about the use of Ps in (2) testing and treatment
Main idea 1:
o Meaning
 Placebo: (3) Fake medical treatment
Can be sugar pills, therapy or surgery
 Sham treatment, not actively treat the illness
 Placebo effect: (4) positive response from taking placebo
 Improvement in health thanks to placebo, not real treatment
 belief helps patients
o How Placebo has been used
 1930s – 1940s
 doctor give patients for aches, pains and (5) minor complaints
 not say that pills not real medicine
 patients feel better
 the act of (6) taking the pills gives positive effect
 Now, used in clinical trials of new drug
 Blind clinical trial:
 Volunteer patients with same illness split into 2 groups (one with new drug; one with
placebo)
 (7) Researchers know the splitting, patients don’t know
 Purpose: compare the (8) experience of volunteers
 Double-blind trial:
 Researchers and patients don’t know who takes real drug
 Purpose: have (9) no bias when analyzing results or expectations not affect results
 In theory: placebo should bring no effect
 In reality:
 in some studies, 30 – 40% patients with placebo have improvements
 in some trials: up to (10) 70% effectiveness
Main idea 2
o Illness takes its (11) natural course
 feel better when doing nothing for treatment
o (12) Psychological effect happens in patient’s mind
 Patients expect to improve, they improve
 According to studies:
 Doctor says that treatment works, placebo works
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  Doctor says that treatment might not (13) be effective, placebo is not likely to work
o Therapeutic process
 Doctors are (14) professional (and) caring, attentive  patients feel (15) encouraged and
hopeful
 Placebo effect is psychological, placebo gives actual physiological change
Main idea 3
o Study at UCLA with 51 patients (16) suffering from depression
 One group with placebo, one group with anti-depressant drug
 53% with depressant drug feel better, 38% with placebo feel better
 Surprising point: detect actual increase in brain activity in patients (17) improving on placebo
 Results repeat in studies treating many diseases, even (18) heart disease and common cold
 Chemical change in brains comes from placebo effect, from belief to be better
o What to do with placebo
 Researchers:
 Placebos bring (19) no harm, may help patients
 Doctors should give patients a try
 Doctors don’t want to use placebo
 Prescribing placebo is (20) dishonest
 Real debate in medical community

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