 Ader and Cohen in the lab.
| Time
| 1982 |
| Title
| Drs. Ader and Cohen discover immune system conditioning |
| Event
| While studying taste aversion in mice, Ader and Cohen discover that the immune system can be conditioned in the same way Pavlov’s dogs learned to salivate in response to a bell. In their study, mice prone to Lupus are offered a saccharin-flavored drink at the same time they are injected with a potent immune-supressing drug to treat their Lupus. Once the association is learned, the taste alone (with no injection at all) reduces inflammation and symptoms of Lupus almost as much as the drug alone. |
|
The experiment shows that the immune system can be conditioned just like the mind.
|
This discovery has far-reaching effects. Physicians start to explore whether conditioning can be used to reduce drug dosage, particularly when toxic and addictive drugs are being used. In some cases, neutral stimuli can replace the drugs altogether.
|
Spirituality is not mentioned in this research.
|
|
