How can MYSQL functions be effectively integrated into PDO Prepared Statements in PHP?

When using PDO Prepared Statements in PHP, MYSQL functions can be effectively integrated by simply including them in the SQL query string within the prepared statement. This allows for the use of MYSQL functions like NOW(), CONCAT(), or DATE_FORMAT() directly within the query, making it easier to manipulate data before fetching or inserting it into the database.

// Example of integrating MYSQL functions into PDO Prepared Statements
$pdo = new PDO("mysql:host=localhost;dbname=mydatabase", "username", "password");

// Example query using NOW() function to insert current date
$sql = "INSERT INTO mytable (name, created_at) VALUES (:name, NOW())";
$stmt = $pdo->prepare($sql);
$stmt->bindParam(':name', $name);
$stmt->execute();