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Scientists have been fascinated by the connection between mind and body for a long time. Although once thought to be independent, current research start to suggest that our thoughts, beliefs, and expectations can directly impact physical health in many different ways. Everything from stress affecting the immune system to optimism influencing recovery of illness, the power of the mind in shaping health outcomes is undeniable.
Pagnini (2019) suggested the concept of “illness expectations”, as a factor that may influence the progression of diseases. This concept describes how our health outcomes are affected by the information we receive concerning our illness, as well as our cognitive and emotional processing, which is shaped by our personal history. The author described two key pathways that link expectations to physical health outcomes. The first is the behavioural pathway. When people have a sense of self-efficacy and believe they have control over their illness, they are more likely to engage in self-care behaviours, such as adhering to treatment plans and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Those who feel powerless, on the contrary, are more likely to neglect medication, avoid exercise, or engage in harmful behaviours. The second pathway presented by Pagnini (2019) is the non-behavioural pathway. It describes how bodily changes can be directly influenced by our expectations, independent of our behaviour. This pathway is similar to the placebo effect, where only the belief of receiving a treatment may impact the outcomes, but occurring without the external primer, such as a fake pill. Two people with the same diagnosis may have different health outcomes based on their personal beliefs and psychological traits. Factors such as optimism, spirituality, trust in medical professionals and social support may shape expectations and, in turn, influence physiological responses.
But how big is the impact of expectations on the progression of illnesses? A study by Von der Warth et al. (2024) found that illness and treatment beliefs predicted 6–20% of the variance in early response to psychosomatic rehabilitation in patients with mental disorders. Simply believing in the effectiveness of treatment significantly influenced recovery. These individual differences of illness expectations and beliefs have also been observed with neuroimaging techniques. For instance, Wang et al. (2022) found that our belief that we have control over the situation is associated with higher functional connectivity in the brain’s default mode network, a region involved in self-referential thinking and emotional regulation.
There are numerous studies exploring specific cases of the connection between perceptions and the progression of illnesses. To name a few, a fascinating study by Aungle and Langer (2023) explored how perception of time influences physical healing of wounds. Participants were placed in rooms where clocks either ran faster or slower than normal. Participants who believed more time had passed experienced faster wound healing, while those who believed less time had passed healed more slowly. This suggests that psychological perception directly influences physical recovery. A similar study by Park et al. (2016) found that perceived time also affected the actual glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes, ones again highlighting the link between mental perception and bodily processes.
Also stereotypes play an important role in the association between perceptions and our physical body since they shape our expectations. A review article by Dionigi (2015) showed that stereotypes about aging can significantly impact older adults’ health, well-being, and quality of life. These stereotypes shape self-perception, social interactions, cognitive and physical performance, recovery from illness, and engagement in health-related behaviours.
The mind-body connection is not just a philosophical concept but a scientific reality. Beliefs about illness, time perception, self-efficacy, and societal attitudes all play a role in shaping health outcomes. As research continues to uncover the mechanisms behind this connection, it becomes increasingly clear that how we think can directly impact how we heal and age.
By Vita Jamila Keil
Bibliography
Aungle, P., Langer, E. (2023). Physical healing as a function of perceived time, Scientific Reports, 13 (22432).
Dionigi, R. A. (2015). Stereotypes of aging: Their effect on the health of older adults, Journal of Geriatrics, 2015(1), 1-9
Pagnini, F. (2019). The potential role of illness expectations in the progression of medical diseases, BMC Psychology, 7(70), 1-5.
Park, C., Pagnini, F., Reece, A., Phillips, D., Langer, E. (2016). Blood sugar level perceived time than actual time in people with type 2 diabetes, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A., 113(29), 8168-8170
von der Warth, R., Rudolph, M., Bengel, J., Glattacker, M. (2024). The association of early response with the outcome of psychosomatic rehabilitation in patients with mental disorders and its link to treatment and illness belief – A prospective longitudinal cohort study, Psychotherapy research, 1-16.
Wang, X., Chen, Q., Li, Y., Ding, K., Qiu, J. (2022). The brain functional connectivity in the default mode network is associated with self-efficacy in young adults, Brain Imaging Behaviour, 16(1), 107-117.
A.P.E. 
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