Training Neurons to Respond to Placebos, PD Treatment?

Photo: Nicholas Mitchell/Flickr

• PD stands for 'Parkinson's Disease'
  • A chronic and progressive movement disorder
• Researchers conditioned placebo 'non-responder' neurons into placebo 'responder' neurons with apomorphine
• Finding showed that the administration of a:
  • Placebo (only) for the first time had no benefits, but
  • Using apomorphine before administering the placebo caused:
    • Increased thalamus neuronal activity
    • Reduced muscle rigidity
• Significance: Using placebo's, less medication needed, same benefit
• Published in the Journal of Physiology