‘Our thoughts can have a role in our experience of pain’.

Neuroscientist Luana Colloca is studying the placebo effect and its impact on pain relief. She has found that specific gene variants can influence the extent of someone's placebo response. Colloca and her colleagues are exploring ways to harness these effects to help manage pain and reduce the use of prescription opioids. They are also investigating the use of virtual reality as a tool to reduce pain and anxiety. Colloca's research has implications for personalized pain management and the potential to decrease dependence on opioid painkillers. [Extracted from the article]