There is growing evidence that placebos are able to influence visual perception. A previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study on the processing of disgust images demonstrated that a 'disgust placebo' (inert pill administered with the verbal suggestion of an anti-nausea medication) reduced visual cortex activity and connectivity. In the present fMRI investigation, we examined co...

The nocebo effect consists in delivering verbal suggestions of negative outcomes so that the subject expects clinical worsening. Here we show that nocebo suggestions, in which expectation of pain increase is induced, are capable of producing both hyperalgesic and allodynic responses. By extending previous findings on the placebo effect, we investigated the role of learning in the nocebo effect ...

BACKGROUND A "nocebo" effect is defined as troublesome symptoms after the administration of placebo. The aim of this study was to determine characteristics of nocebo responses and related factors. METHODS Patients with a reliable history of drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions subjected to placebo-controlled oral drug provocation tests and reacted to placebo, were consecutively included in...

The placebo effect has often been considered a nuisance in basic and particularly clinical research. This view has gradually changed in recent years due to deeper insight into the neuro-bio-behavioral mechanisms steering both the placebo and nocebo responses, the evil twin of placebo. For the neuroscientist, placebo and nocebo responses have evolved as indispensable tools to understand brain me...

Placebo and nocebo effects are known to play a key role in treatment effects in a wide variety of conditions. These effects have frequently been investigated with regard to pain and also in other physical sensations, but have hardly been investigated with regard to itch. In addition, neither in pain nor in any other physical sensation, the single and combined contribution of the expectancy mech...

BACKGROUND Nocebo phenomena are common in clinical practice and have recently become a popular topic of research and discussion among basic scientists, clinicians, and ethicists. METHODS We selectively searched the PubMed database for articles published up to December 2011 that contained the key words "nocebo" or "nocebo effect." RESULTS By definition, a nocebo effect is the induction of a ...

OBJECTIVES Medication side effects are common, often leading to reduced quality of life, nonadherence, and financial costs for health services. Many side effects are the result of a psychologically mediated "nocebo effect." This review identifies the risk factors involved in the development of nocebo effects. METHOD Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Journals@Ovid full text, and Globa...

Research into interventional techniques in managing chronic spinal pain continues to be challenging, mystifying, confusing, and biased. Insight, or lack thereof, into placebo and nocebo phenomena contributes mightily to these difficulties. Unfortunately, placebo-nocebo responses are the subject of numerous controversies and challenges from not only a research perspective, but also clinical pers...

34 This investigation aimed to explore the effects of inert sugar free drinks described as 35 either ‘performance enhancing’ (placebo) or ‘fatigue inducing’ (nocebo) on peak 36 minute power (PMP;W) during incremental arm crank ergometry (ACE). Twelve 37 healthy, non specifically trained individuals volunteered to take part. A single blind 38 randomized controlled trial with repeated measures wa...

A large number of unwanted adverse events and symptoms reported by patients in clinical trials are not caused by the drug provided, since most of adverse events also occur in corresponding placebo groups. These nocebo effects also play a major role in drug discontinuation in clinical practice, negatively affecting treatment efficacy as well as patient adherence and compliance. Experimental and ...