Neurobiology of the Placebo Effect, Part II, Volume 139, the latest release in the International Review of Neurobiology series, is the second part of a two-volume set that provides the latest placebo studies in clinically relevant models. Specific chapters cover the History of placebo effects in medicine, Lumping or Splitting: Towards a taxonomy of placebo and related effects, Theories and brain mechanisms of placebo analgesia, Pain Modulation: From CPM to placebo and nocebo effects in experimental and clinical pain, Modulation of the motor system by placebo and nocebo effects, and the role of sleep in learning placebo effects, amongst other topics.

Neurobiology of the Placebo Effect, Part I, Volume 138 in the International Review of Neurobiology series, is the first of two volumes that provide the latest placebo studies in clinically relevant models. Placebo responses effects are not merely a psychological, but a complex psycho-neuro-biological process that requires activation of distinct brain areas. This book discusses current research and projects on the involved brain circuitry and neurotransmitter systems. Specific chapters cover such topics as pharmacological conditioning of the endocrine and immune system, expectancy modulation of opioid neurotransmission, nocebo effects in visceral pain, and conditioning as a higher-order cognitive phenomenon, amongst other topics.

The placebo effect is a fascinating but elusive phenomena. Although no standard definition of the placebo effect exists, it is generally understood as consisting of responses of individuals to the psychosocial context of medical treatments or clinical encounters, as distinct from specific physiological effects of medical interventions. "The Placebo" is the first book to compile a selection of classic and contemporary published articles on the topic.

Systematic investigation of the placebo effect emerged in the 1950s in response to the development of randomized controlled clinical trials that used "inert" placebo interventions as a pivotal element of scientific evaluation of novel drugs. In recent years, scientific and scholarly investigation of the placebo effect has increased dramatically, reflecting a growing interest in the connection between mind and body with respect to health, the development of brain imaging techniques, dissatisfaction with the reductionist and technological orientation of biomedicine, and growing attention to the use of complementary and alternative medical treatments.

"The Placebo" is organized into three sections: the nature and significance of the placebo effect, experimental studies of the placebo effect, and ethical issues of placebos in research and in clinical practice. This comprehensive sourcebook will be invaluable to investigators and scholars alike.

The placebo effect continues to fascinate scientists, scholars, and clinicians, resulting in an impressive amount of research, mainly in the field of pain. While recent experimental and clinical studies have unraveled salient aspects of the neurobiological substrates and clinical relevance of pain and placebo analgesia, an authoritative source remained lacking until now. By presenting and integrating a broad range of research, "Placebo and Pain" enhances readers knowledge about placebo and nocebo effects, reexamines the methodology of clinical trials, and improves the therapeutic approaches for patients suffering from pain.

Review for "Placebo and Pain: " " This ambitious book is the first comprehensive and unified presentation of the placebo and nocebo phenomena in the area of pain. Written by the international leading experts in the field, the book provides an accurate up-to-date work] on placebo and pain dealing with current perspectives and future challenging issues. --Ted Kaptchuk, " Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Contains historical aspects of the placebo effectDiscusses biological and psychological mechanisms of placebo analgesic responsesReviews implications of the placebo effect for clinical research and pain managementIncludes methodological and ethical aspects of the placebo effect"