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Oxytocin Boosts Placebo Effect
http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/03/05/oxytocin-boosts-placebo-effect/66687.html
Oxytocin Boosts Placebo Effect
By Jane Collingwood Associate News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on March 5, 2014
New findings from trials of pain medication suggest that the hormone oxytocin can boost the so-called “placebo effect.”
<snip>
They said, “Placebo responses have been shown to contribute to clinical treatment outcomes. The pharmacological enhancement of placebo responses therefore has the potential to increase treatment benefits.
“To our knowledge, our study provides the first experimental evidence that placebo responses can be pharmacologically enhanced by the application of intranasal oxytocin. Further studies are needed to replicate our findings in larger clinical populations, identify the underlying mechanisms, and explore moderating variables such as gender or aspects of patient-physician communication.”
<snip>
A Second Study
A separate study investigated brain activity when the placebo effect is underway, using patients with irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers, from the University of Florida, carried out fMRI brain scans during tests involving 20 seconds of rectal distension.
<snip>
References
Kessner, S., Sprenger, C., Wrobel, N., Wiech, K., Bingel, U. Effect of Oxytocin on Placebo Analgesia: A Randomized Study. JAMA, 23 October 2013 doi:10.l001/jama.2013.277446
Craggs, J. G., Price, D.D., Robinson, M.E. Enhancing the placebo response: fMRI Evidence of Memory and Semantic Processing in Placebo Analgesia. The Journal of Pain, 9 January 2014 doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2013.12.009
Colloca, L., Klinger R., Flor, H., Bingel, U. Placebo analgesia: psychological and neurobiological mechanisms. Pain, April 2013 doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2013.02.002
Oxytocin Boosts Placebo Effect
By Jane Collingwood Associate News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on March 5, 2014
New findings from trials of pain medication suggest that the hormone oxytocin can boost the so-called “placebo effect.”
<snip>
They said, “Placebo responses have been shown to contribute to clinical treatment outcomes. The pharmacological enhancement of placebo responses therefore has the potential to increase treatment benefits.
“To our knowledge, our study provides the first experimental evidence that placebo responses can be pharmacologically enhanced by the application of intranasal oxytocin. Further studies are needed to replicate our findings in larger clinical populations, identify the underlying mechanisms, and explore moderating variables such as gender or aspects of patient-physician communication.”
<snip>
A Second Study
A separate study investigated brain activity when the placebo effect is underway, using patients with irritable bowel syndrome. The researchers, from the University of Florida, carried out fMRI brain scans during tests involving 20 seconds of rectal distension.
<snip>
References
Kessner, S., Sprenger, C., Wrobel, N., Wiech, K., Bingel, U. Effect of Oxytocin on Placebo Analgesia: A Randomized Study. JAMA, 23 October 2013 doi:10.l001/jama.2013.277446
Craggs, J. G., Price, D.D., Robinson, M.E. Enhancing the placebo response: fMRI Evidence of Memory and Semantic Processing in Placebo Analgesia. The Journal of Pain, 9 January 2014 doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2013.12.009
Colloca, L., Klinger R., Flor, H., Bingel, U. Placebo analgesia: psychological and neurobiological mechanisms. Pain, April 2013 doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2013.02.002
5 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
I was thinking "If you have oxycodone, what the hell do you need the placebo effect for?". 
