I have thought that the "placebo effect" is due to stimulation of DHEA for years. It is my hypothesis that evolution selected DHEA because it optimizes replication and transcription of DNA. Therefore DHEA levels affect all tissues. I think behavioral interaction of all sorts that are positive stimulate DHEA, including the interaction with a physician, individuals perceived as positive, ...even including the effects of close contact "prayer" including touching or simply being nearby a patient, etc.
Therefore, if something is perceived as a positive, it will stimulate DHEA.
This includes a prescription from a physician or even the interaction with a positive physician who even says that a pill is a placebo.
I first submitted this idea to the Journal of Neuroscience and received an email from the journal quoting my idea in 2005.
