Could placebos play an important role in medicine?

+ the evolutionary roots of privacy US Edition - Today's top story: In research studies and in real life, placebos have a powerful healing effect on the body and mind [View in browser]( US Edition | 11 February 2022 [The Conversation]( Hands down, one of my favorite parts of this job is the satisfaction that comes with being able to delve deeply into health and science questions that I’m fascinated by – and, importantly, being able to work closely with scholars who are on the cutting edge of answering these questions. As a science journalist, I’ve long been intrigued by the placebo effect and its implications for the power of mind over body. So when I received a compelling pitch about the potential they hold to help treat common health maladies – from depression and anxiety to arthritis and chronic pain – I was delighted at the chance to learn more about it. Although there has traditionally been a great deal of skepticism and confusion about the use of placebos in medical research, a robust and growing body of literature suggests that placebos could play a critical role in treating patients. As University of Michigan scholars Elissa H. Patterson and Hans Schroder explain, a wealth of research suggests that [believing a medication will be beneficial]( seems to have a healing effect of its own. This may in large part be explained by the relief and stress reduction people experience when they believe that they are being helped by a treatment. “Part of the beauty of placebos is that they activate existing systems of healing within the mind and body,” Patterson and Schroder write. Also today: - [Diversifying art museums, one dollar at a time]( - [4 tips for the aspiring STEM student]( - [Who heat waves hurt the most]( Amanda Mascarelli Senior Health and Medicine Editor [In research studies and in real life, placebos have a powerful healing effect on the body and mind]( Elissa H. Patterson, University of Michigan; Hans Schroder, University of Michigan Drug manufacturers often shun the use of placebos in clinical trials. But research suggests that placebos could play an important role in the treatment of depression, pain and other maladies. Environment + Energy - [Heat waves hit the poor hardest – a new study calculates the rising impact on those least able to adapt to the warming climate]( Mojtaba Sadegh, Boise State University; John Abatzoglou, University of California, Merced; Mohammad Reza Alizadeh, McGill University The risk from heat waves is about more than intensity – being able to cool off is essential, and that’s hard to find in many low-income areas of the world. Health + Medicine - [The risk of concussion lurks at the Super Bowl – and in all other sports]( Steven P. Broglio, University of Michigan Millions of sports-related concussions occur in the US every year. Many of them happen to high school and college athletes. Science + Technology - [Your sense of privacy evolved over millennia – that puts you at risk today but could improve technology tomorrow]( Laura Brandimarte, University of Arizona; Alessandro Acquisti, Carnegie Mellon University You have a finely honed sense of privacy in the physical world. But the sights and sounds you encounter online don’t help you detect risks and can even lull you into a false sense of security. - [Partnering up can help you grow as an individual – here’s the psychology of a romantic relationship that expands the self]( Gary W. Lewandowski Jr., Monmouth University It almost sounds like a paradox, but pairing with the right person can help you grow as an individual as you blend your interests with theirs and learn from their strengths. Ethics + Religion - [What the mythical Cupid can teach us about the meaning of love and desire]( Joel Christensen, Brandeis University A scholar of early Greek classics explains what the myth of the weapon-carrying god of love, Cupid, a child of the gods of love and war, conveys about the pleasures and dangers of desire. - [This god shoots love darts – but no, it’s not Cupid]( Jeffery D. Long, Elizabethtown College Kamadeva, also known as Madana, is the Hindu god of love, desire and infatuation. Education - [4 ways to help STEM majors stay the course]( Esohe G. Irabor, Howard University; Brandyn White, Howard University Colleges don’t have to sit by and watch STEM majors leave for other fields. Two Ph.D. biology students share tips for encouraging students to stick with STEM despite the difficulty involved. Politics + Society - [Whether up in smoke or down the toilet, missing presidential records are a serious concern]( Shannon Bow O'Brien, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts All presidents must deposit transcriptions of their public statements with the National Archives. But in the case of Donald Trump, there’s something missing. - [Supreme Court’s ruling on Alabama voting map could open the door to a new Wild West of state redistricting]( Henry L. Chambers Jr., University of Richmond Alabama will be allowed to keep a congressional map that critics say disadvantages Black voters. That does not bode well for 2022 midterms, argues a law scholar. - [Puerto Rico has a plan to recover from bankruptcy — but the deal won’t ease people’s daily struggles]( Carlos A Suárez Carrasquillo, University of Florida Puerto Rico has reached an agreement to partially settle its historic bankruptcy crisis. But public cuts to education and health care are unlikely to ease, creating ongoing challenges for Puerto Ricans Arts + Culture - [The advantages of museum philanthropy that builds staff diversity rather than new wings and galleries]( Lisa M. Strong, Georgetown University US museums have sought to improve their diversity, equity and inclusion for decades, but progress has been slow. Podcast 🎙️ - [If Russia invades Ukraine, what could happen to natural gas supplies to Europe?]( Gemma Ware, The Conversation; Daniel Merino, The Conversation Plus, the Beijing Winter Olympics are using 100% artificial snow: what does that mean for the environment, and the athletes? Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast. From our international editions - [Can China use the Beijing Olympics to ‘sportwash’ its abuses against the Uyghurs? Only if the world remains silent]( - [Childhood adversity is a ‘cause of causes’ of adult illnesses and mental health problems]( - [The Black Death was not as widespread or catastrophic as long thought – new study]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠Pure water will not freeze until it is cooled to about what temperature? - -40 F - -5 F - 0 F - 32 F [Click here for the answer.]( Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( Enjoy reading The Conversation? Share us with your three closest friends: [Click here to share](mailto:Insert%20your%20friends%27%20emails?subject=Check%20out%20The%20Conversation&body=I%27ve%20been%20reading%20this%20fact-based%20news%20source,%20and%20definitely%20think%20you’d%20find%20it%20interesting%20as%20well.%20It%20has%20academic%20experts%20writing%20understandably%20about%20stories%20in%20the%20news,%20based%20on%20their%20research.%20I%20learn%20something%20new%20every%20time%20I%20read%20it.%0D%0DYou%20can%20check%20it%20out%20here:%20%0D About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](