Placebo effects in primary insomnia

Sleep Med Rev. 2005 Oct;9(5):381-9. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2005.05.001.

Abstract

Placebo effects are commonly observed in insomnia clinical trials. With the advent of longer-term trials, such effects appear to be remarkably robust and durable. In this paper we review the classic factors that are believed to contribute to placebo effects and how these factors operate in insomnia randomized clinical trials. Beyond this we suggest that the episodic nature of insomnia may interact with patient preferences for intermittent dosing in such a way as to sustain placebo effects in the long term. An appreciation of the latter phenomenon may provide increased power to detect therapeutic outcomes and may be used to potentiate clinical gains.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Hypnotics and Sedatives / therapeutic use
  • Periodicity
  • Placebo Effect*
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / drug therapy
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / epidemiology
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / therapy*

Substances

  • Hypnotics and Sedatives