Mind Over Pill: Open-Label Placebos Boost Memory and Mobility in Seniors

A 3-week open-label placebo study with 90 healthy older adults found that participants who knew they were taking inert pills still saw improvements in memory, physical performance, stress, and well-being, with effects often strongest when individuals believed they were taking an active treatment; results highlight the mind’s power in aging and suggest open-label placebos as an ethical tool for healthy aging.