Study: Brain Reward Training May Boost Vaccine Antibody Response

Can positive thinking truly boost vaccine response, or is it mainly emotional comfort with little effect on immunity?

Published 6 days ago

Study: Brain Reward Training May Boost Vaccine Antibody Response

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Above: A man receives a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination in Culver City, U.S. on Sept. 23, 2025. Image credit: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

Training the brain's reward system through positive thinking demonstrably strengthens immune response to vaccines. Scientists proved people who learned to activate their ventral tegmental area produced significantly more antibodies after hepatitis B vaccination than others. This groundbreaking research opens pathways for harnessing mental strategies like the placebo effect to complement medical treatments and boost immunity.

Dr David Barzilai on X Guardian New Atlas

Narrative B

The study involved just 85 participants with weak correlation and should not be mistaken for proof that thoughts meaningfully alter immunity. Placebo effects are real but limited, working mainly on brain-modulated symptoms such as pain, stress or fatigue. They do not cure disease, lower cholesterol or reliably produce measurable immune enhancement.

Rajeev Jayadevan on X Harvard Health