Mechanism(s) of the Placebo Response and the Future of Neurofeedback Research

There may be a sea change occurring in scientific interest in the placebo response. Until just a few years ago the placebo controlled design was regarded as a useful control device that helped elevate clinical trials of drugs or procedures to a more " scientific " status. Indeed, the double blind placebo controlled clinical trial has been regarded as the " gold standard " for proof of efficacy. If the placebo (or sham) treatment condition can be regarded as a therapeutically inert condition, it can be seen as a legitimate means of testing the " nonspecific " features of investiga-tional interventions. Recent studies have changed that, at least in the minds of some researchers. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) announced a plan to release an inter-institute sponsored Request for Applications