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5-HT2A

Registered: 01/30/10 
Posts: 1,794
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Negative experiences can stop painkillers working
#13982545 - 02/18/11 12:21 AM (12 years, 11 months ago) |
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12480310
A patient's belief that a drug will not work can become a self fulfilling prophecy, according to researchers.
They showed the benefits of painkillers could be boosted or completely wiped out by manipulating expectations.
The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, also identifies the regions of the brain which are affected.
Experts said this could have important consequences for patient care and for testing new drugs.
Heat was applied to the legs of 22 patients, who were asked to report the level of pain on a scale of one to 100. They were also attached to an intravenous drip so drugs could be administered secretly.
The initial average pain rating was 66. Patients were then given a potent painkiller, remifentanil, without their knowledge and the pain score went down to 55.
They were then told they were being given a painkiller and the score went down to 39.
Then, without changing the dose, the patients were then told the painkiller had been withdrawn and to expect pain, and the score went up to 64.
So even though the patients were being given remifentanil, they were reporting the same level of pain as when they were getting no drugs at all.
Professor Irene Tracey, from Oxford University, told the BBC: "It's phenomenal, it's really cool. It's one of the best analgesics we have and the brain's influence can either vastly increase its effect, or completely remove it."
The study was conducted on healthy people who were subjected to pain for a short period of time. She said people with chronic conditions who had unsuccessfully tried many drugs for many years would have built up a much greater negative experience, which could impact on their future healthcare.
Professor Tracey said: "Doctors need more time for consultation and to investigate the cognitive side of illness, the focus is on physiology not the mind, which can be a real roadblock to treatment."
Brain scans during the experiment also showed which regions of the brain were affected.
The expectation of positive treatment was associated with activity in the cingulo-frontal and subcortical brain areas while the negative expectation led to increased activity in the hippocampus and the medial frontal cortex.
Researchers also say the study raises concerns about clinical trials used to determine the effectiveness of drugs.
George Lewith, professor of health research at the University of Southampton, said: "It's another piece of evidence that we get what we expect in life.
"It completely blows cold randomised clinical trials, which don't take into account expectation."
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Konyap


Registered: 06/30/07
Posts: 33,945
Loc: Planet Piss
Last seen: 4 years, 2 months
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Re: Negative experiences can stop painkillers working [Re: 5-HT2A]
#13982584 - 02/18/11 12:29 AM (12 years, 11 months ago) |
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It's really amazing isn't it?
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Cognitive_Shift
CS actual




Registered: 12/11/07
Posts: 29,591
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Re: Negative experiences can stop painkillers working [Re: 5-HT2A]
#13982755 - 02/18/11 01:19 AM (12 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
A patient's belief that a drug will not work can become a self fulfilling prophecy, according to researchers. They showed the benefits of painkillers could be boosted or completely wiped out by manipulating expectations.

-------------------- L'enfer est plein de bonnes volontés et désirs
Edited by Cognitive_Shift (02/18/11 01:28 AM)
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Azrah
Stranger

Registered: 03/14/07
Posts: 611
Last seen: 11 years, 1 month
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Re: Negative experiences can stop painkillers working [Re: Cognitive_Shift]
#13982821 - 02/18/11 01:48 AM (12 years, 11 months ago) |
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"Patients were then given a potent painkiller, remifentanil, without their knowledge and the pain score went down to 55."
Lol? I can't see any logic in doing research this way; no matter what explanation I try to come up with in the methodology, it still seems unethical.
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Alan Rockefeller
Mycologist


Registered: 03/10/07
Posts: 48,276
Last seen: 12 hours, 22 minutes
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Re: Negative experiences can stop painkillers working [Re: 5-HT2A]
#13983156 - 02/18/11 04:43 AM (12 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
5-HT2A said: "It completely blows cold randomised clinical trials, which don't take into account expectation."
It blows them?
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Cognitive_Shift
CS actual




Registered: 12/11/07
Posts: 29,591
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Re: Negative experiences can stop painkillers working [Re: Alan Rockefeller]
#13983440 - 02/18/11 08:26 AM (12 years, 11 months ago) |
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It seems that way doesn't it
-------------------- L'enfer est plein de bonnes volontés et désirs
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deCypher



Registered: 02/10/08
Posts: 56,232
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Re: Negative experiences can stop painkillers working [Re: Alan Rockefeller]
#13983499 - 02/18/11 08:44 AM (12 years, 11 months ago) |
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I wonder if the same effect works for the euphoria caused by such opiate painkillers.
-------------------- We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
 
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Sykey
Oscar2dope


Registered: 04/09/05
Posts: 105
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Re: Negative experiences can stop painkillers working [Re: deCypher]
#13988652 - 02/19/11 03:38 AM (12 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
deCypher said: I wonder if the same effect works for the euphoria caused by such opiate painkillers.
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Capers
Man About Town


Registered: 08/15/10
Posts: 16,200
Loc: United States
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Re: Negative experiences can stop painkillers working [Re: Sykey]
#13988869 - 02/19/11 06:51 AM (12 years, 11 months ago) |
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Yes, this is amazing, but truthfully it should be obvious to anyone who pays attention to their own experiences.
I've long claimed that your attitude/expectations effect how high you get from weed. Also, just before consuming shrooms I sometimes experience mild tripping symptoms.
How bout when you're in high school and some girl is acting drunk off of three beers? Yes, she may have been partially faking, but also I'm sure her own expectations were enhancing the effect.
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