The Incredible Power of Placebo, Nocebo, and Belief Effects

💊Placebo effects occur when an inert substance or treatment improves symptoms or performance.

🚫Nocebo effects occur when a drug or treatment worsens symptoms or performance.

🧠Belief effects occur when specific knowledge changes expectations and leads to physiological or psychological changes.

🧬All three effects involve the prefrontal cortex, which can activate or suppress neural circuits based on expectation.

✨Placebo, Nocebo, and Belief effects can be harnessed to improve mental and physical health and performance.

What are Placebo effects?

—Placebo effects occur when an inert substance or treatment improves symptoms or performance, despite lacking any direct biological or psychological activity.

What are Nocebo effects?

—Nocebo effects occur when a drug or treatment worsens symptoms or performance, even though it should have no impact on its own.

What are Belief effects?

—Belief effects occur when specific knowledge changes expectations and leads to physiological or psychological changes.

How do these effects work?

—All three effects involve the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain that can activate or suppress neural circuits based on expectation.

Can these effects be beneficial?

—Yes, Placebo, Nocebo, and Belief effects can be harnessed to improve mental and physical health and performance.

00:00In this podcast episode, Andrew Huberman explores Placebo, Nocebo, and Belief effects and their impact on our biology and psychology.

02:35Placebo effects occur when an inert substance or treatment improves symptoms or performance by influencing brain circuits and biological processes.

04:21Nocebo effects are the opposite of Placebo effects, causing a worsening of symptoms or performance when a treatment has no direct impact.

07:26Belief effects involve the power of knowledge and expectation to produce physiological and psychological changes.

09:18The prefrontal cortex plays a significant role in these effects, acting as a prediction machine that can activate or suppress other neural circuits based on expectation.

11:30Placebo, Nocebo, and Belief effects can be leveraged to improve mental health, physical health, and performance.