Reverse engineering placebo analgesia

Researchers from MIT (McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences) and Duke University Medical Center (Department of Neurobiology), have successfully reverse-engineered placebo analgesia by activating specific neurons in the central amygdala (CeA) of mice. This innovative approach has shown to produce robust pain relief in both acute and chronic pain models, surpassing the effects of morphine.

The study established a reliable mouse model of placebo analgesia by pairing a context with CeA neuron activation, leading to significant pain relief. The analgesic effect was achieved without reactivation of CeA neurons in the conditioned context, confirming it as true placebo analgesia.

For the in vivo optogenetic activation the mice with optical fiber implants were connected to a 1 to 2 split branching fiber-optic patch
cord coupled to either a 473 nm or 633 nm  Cobolt laser.

This method could potentially harness the power of placebo for pain relief in clinical settings, reducing medication intake and side effects.
This research paves the way for new pain management strategies, leveraging the brain’s own mechanisms to alleviate pain.