Modulating placebo and nocebo effects

A study involving 81 participants finds that repeated transcranial direct current stimulation of the brain’s right dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex can boost the pain-relieving placebo effect and blunt the pain-enhancing nocebo effect, suggesting that changing the excitability of the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex could modulate placebo and nocebo effects and improve pain management outcomes.

Article #21-01273: “Manipulating placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia by changing brain excitability,” by Yiheng Tu et al.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jian Kong, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA; email:

[email protected]

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