A new brain imaging study reveals that how people expect pain relief--through visual cues or treatment explanations--can significantly influence how much pain they actually feel. External cues, like symbols signaling less pain, consistently reduced pain perception and altered brain regions tied to pain processing. In contrast, expectations based on treatment information were less consistent and instead activated brain areas involved in evaluation and meaning.
A new brain imaging study reveals that how people expect pain relief--through visual cues or treatment explanations--can significantly influence how much pain they actually feel. External cues, like symbols signaling less pain, consistently reduced pain perception and altered brain regions tied to pain processing. In contrast, expectations based on treatment information were less consistent and instead activated brain areas involved in evaluation and meaning.
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