Placebo analgesia: understanding the mechanisms

Abstract

SUMMARY  Expectations of pain relief drive placebo analgesia. Understanding how expectations of improvement trigger distinct biological systems to shape therapeutic analgesic outcomes has been the focus of recent pharmacologic and neuroimaging studies in the field of pain. Recent findings indicate that placebo effects can imitate the actions of real painkillers and promote the endogenous release of opioids and nonopioids in humans. Social support and observational learning also contribute to placebo analgesic effects. Distinct psychological traits can modulate expectations of analgesia, which facilitate brain pain control mechanisms involved in pain reduction. Many studies have highlighted the importance and clinical relevance of these responses. Gaining deeper understanding of these pain modulatory mechanisms has important implications for personalizing patient pain management.