A new opinion article in Biology Letters – "Studying placebo effects in model organisms will help us understand them in humans" – dives into the possibility of studying the placebo effect in animals ...

A new study from scientists at McGill University has gone to extraordinary lengths to investigate how strong the placebo effect may be in psychedelic research. The experiment, led by a former magician ...

Placebo response rates in randomized controlled trials in gastroenterology are of similar size, and mediators and moderators are of similar type to those in other medical subspecialties Some trends ...

In medicine, the placebo effect has been known for some time, but can it also show its effects in training? Researchers from Norway investigated this question—with a surprising result. The post The ...

Research indicates open-label placebos can ease stress and boost memory in older adults, presenting a novel, ethical strategy for promoting healthy aging.

Back in the 18th century, German physician Franz Mesmer peddled a concept called animal magnetism. Creatures contain a universal fluid, he asserted, that when blocked in flow, caused sickness. Mesmer ...

Let's do a thought experiment. Round up 300 harried commuters with headaches—not hard to do on the New York subway any workday at rush hour. Of course, they are probably shouting and whining, which ...