Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
Age and gender
1Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany.
Insights
Placebo effects are similar in children and adults, contrary to prior beliefs. Harnessing these effects can improve pediatric care, but more research is needed on neurobiology.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychology
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The role of age in placebo effects was understudied, particularly in pediatric populations.
- Recent reviews and meta-analyses have begun to fill knowledge gaps regarding pediatric placebo responses.
- Understanding age-related placebo mechanisms is crucial for optimizing therapeutic outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on placebo effects in children and adolescents compared to adults.
- To examine age and sex differences in placebo responses.
- To explore the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms of placebo effects across age groups.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of existing literature.
- Comparison of placebo effects in pediatric clinical trials versus adult populations.
- Analysis of psychological and neurobiological factors influencing placebo responses.
Main Results:
- Placebo effects are not consistently larger in children than in adults.
- Observed sex differences in placebo responses are sporadic.
- Psychological mechanisms (expectancy, conditioning, interaction) are similar across ages, but their relative importance may vary.
- Neurobiological underpinnings of pediatric placebo effects are largely unknown.
Conclusions:
- Placebo effects do not systematically differ between children and adults.
- Psychological mechanisms are conserved, but neurobiological aspects require further investigation in pediatric populations.
- Harnessing placebo mechanisms is vital for enhancing pediatric therapeutic outcomes and minimizing nocebo effects.
Abstract:
The specific role of age in the placebo effect has only recently become a focus of systematic studies. Prior to our 2013 review, the literature on placebo effects in children and adolescents was sparse, leaving significant gaps in understanding. Since then, several reviews and meta-analyses have addressed placebo responses in pediatric clinical trials, alongside experimental studies, comparing placebo effects between children, adolescents, and adults. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge in this domain. Contrary to earlier assumptions, evidence suggests that placebo effects are not systematically larger in children than in adults. Sex differences in placebo responses/effects appear sporadic rather than consistent. Psychological mechanisms underlying the placebo effect, such as expectancy, conditioning, and patient-practitioner interaction, are largely the same in children and adults, though their relative importance may differ across age groups. However, the neurobiologic underpinnings of placebo effects in children remain poorly understood, with existing research providing only preliminary insights. Despite these gaps, the mechanisms of the placebo effect can and should be harnessed to enhance therapeutic outcomes in pediatric clinical practice. Leveraging these mechanisms to maximize placebo responses, while simultaneously minimizing nocebo effects, holds significant potential for improving care in children and adolescents.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Two-Way ANOVA
The two-way ANOVA analysis initially begins by stating the null hypothesis that there is an interaction effect between the two factors of a dataset. This effect can be visualized using line segments formed by joining the...
01:30Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
01:29Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
01:27Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
02:19The Y Chromosome Determines Maleness
Evolution
Around 300 million years ago, the two sex chromosomes diverged from two identical autosomal chromosomes. Over time, the Y chromosome has lost most of its genes, shrinking in size....
01:28Menopause