Learned immunosuppression and drug efficacy

In a study of 30 renal transplant patients, around 52-56 years of age, who took part in an experiment involving the pairing of immunosuppressive drugs with a gustatory stimulus, researchers found that the stimulus increased the efficacy of the immunosuppressive medication, such that T cell proliferative capacity was significantly reduced compared with baseline T cell measures under routine drug intake in subsequent placebo testing, suggesting that learned immunosuppressive behavior might help to improve immunopharmacological treatment strategies.

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Article #17-20548: "Learned immunosuppressive placebo responses in renal transplant patients," by Julia Kirchhof et al.

MEDIA CONTACT: Manfred Schedlowski, University Clinic Essen, GERMANY; tel: +49 201 723 4500; e-mail: <manfred.schedlowski@uk-essen.de>