The Many Facets of the Placebo Effect: from Neuronal Mechanisms to Clinical and Ethical Implications

The placebo effect has recently gained attention as an emerging area of scientific interest. The blossoming interest in placebo research resides in its multifaceted significance which embraces neuroscience, psychology, clinical trial methodology and ethics. The scope here is to introduce the reader to the nature of the placebo effect through the extraordinary journey of a four year study in Neuroscience. This book is segmented in two parts. The first part highlights salient aspects of the placebo effect from history to neurobiological mechanisms. The second part presents the methodologies that have been applied to explore placebo mechanisms in both clinical and experimental settings. The findings are discussed along with the implications of placebo research for medical practice. Overall, the book helps the reader unravel the mysteries of the placebo effect in shaping effective responses to medication and reintroduce the concept of mastery of self-healing processes in daily life. Cover images: Faces from combined pills alluding to the multifaceted meaning of the placebo effect from neurobiology to psychology, from trials? methodology to ethics. Image courtesy of Giancarlo Colloca.