European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
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Eur Neuropsychopharmacol · Mar 2014
ReviewThe placebo-nocebo response: controversies and challenges from clinical and research perspective.
Placebo and nocebo responses fascinate, confuse, mystify and challenge. They are genuine social, cultural and psychobiological phenomena which can significantly modify the overall treatment outcome. ⋯ Placebo-nocebo responses are mediated through changes in various cortico-subcortical networks and psychophysiological systems. In spite of many existing complementary theories and still growing research on placebo and nocebo response, the implementation of our current knowledge to benefit basic research, clinical trials and routine clinical practice is still so scarce.