Study Identifies Previously Unknown Pain Control Pathway Underlying Placebo Effect

Posted onAugust 29th, 2024byDr. Monica M. Bertagnolli

When someone receives an inactive sugar pill for their pain, the expectation of benefit often leads them to experience some level of pain relief. Researchers have long known that thisplacebo effectis a very real phenomenon. However, the brain mechanisms underlying the placebo effect for pain have been difficult for researchers to understand.

Now, findings from an intriguing NIH-supported study in mice published inNature offer insight into how this powerful demonstration of the mind-body connection works in the brain. Furthermore, the researchers identified a previously unknown neural pathway for pain control and suggest that specifically activating this pathway in the brain by other means could one day offer a promising alternative for treating pain more safely and effectively than with current methods, including opioids.