Placebo effect link found with previously unassociated parts of the brain

Patients suffering from chronic pain have limited treatment options and often rely on medications such as opioids that carry harmful side effects and a high risk of addiction. A new study in mice, published in the journal Current Biology, suggests a new way to harness the placebo effect to treat chronic pain. By activating specific neurons in the brain associated with pain relief, researchers were able to create an environment in which mice associated pain relief with their surroundings, creating a persistent placebo effect.

Study by Fan Wang’s team

Fan Wang, a neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, led the research. Wang and her team investigated how neurons in the central amygdala could be reverse-engineered to mimic the placebo effect, according to Science.org report. They conditioned mice, previously affected by chemotherapy-induced chronic pain, to associate a certain environment with pain relief. Even when the neural stimulation was removed, the mice continued to show pain relief, with fewer pain-related behaviors.

The role of pain suppressive neurons

This placebo effect was achieved without reactivating the pain-suppressing neurons, suggesting a separate brain mechanism driving this response. Researchers found that the placebo effect also occurred, albeit weaker, when the mice were given morphine instead of neural stimulation.

Possible implications for human treatment

Fabrizio Benedetti, a placebo expert from the University of Turin’s Faculty of Medicine, believes that study supports the idea that placebos and drugs may share common mechanisms. Although the placebo effect in humans involves complex factors such as social interaction, these animal models can deepen our understanding of pain management.

Dr. Benedict Alter of the University of Pittsburgh notes that while there is still a long way to go before this research can be applied to human patients, these findings offer significant potential for drug-free treatments.