Context Interventions: Social Modeling and Initial Treatment Experience
Starting soon · Not applicable · Has a placebo group
Conditions studied: Placebo Effect, Pain
In brief
In this experiment, the investigators study the brain pathways underlying several promising context interventions that enhance the strength of placebo effects. Specifically, the investigators examine the separate and joint effects of two of the most powerful context interventions: Social modeling-observing someone else being effectively treated-and prior treatment success or failure experiences. Participants will be randomized into 4 groups (Social modeling: observed success vs. observed failure and Conditioning: experienced success vs. experienced failure). The objectives are to investigate the placebo effect on pain relief and aversive image stimuli between and within-subjects. Each group will undergo a behavioral induction phase, fMRI placebo test phase, and an identical 3-month follow up fMRI placebo test phase. Follow-up assessment will provide some of the first evidence on predictors of the durability of placebo and context interventions.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT04646460
- Run by
- Trustees of Dartmouth College
- People needed
- 120
- Starts
- 2026-12-01
- Expected to finish
- 2028-12-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2026-01-16
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 55. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may qualify if…
- No current psychiatric or major neurological diagnosis
- No reported substance abuse within the last six months
- Capable of performing experimental tasks (e.g., are able to read, able to cooperate with fMRI examination)
- Fluent or native speakers of English
- No current or recent history of pathological pain or reported neurological disorders
- Abstained from alcohol and substance use for 48 hours
- Provided informed consent
- Passed fMRI screening test
You may not qualify if…
- Current presence of pain
- Current or past history of primary psychiatric disorder
- Current or past history of psychoactive substance abuse or dependence
- Dementias
- Movement disorders except familial tremor
- CNS infection
- CNS vasculitis, inflammatory disease or autoimmune disease
- CNS demyelinating disease (e.g. multiple sclerosis)
- Space occupying lesions (mass lesions, tumors)
- Congenital CNS abnormality (e.g. cerebral palsy)
- Seizure disorder
- History of closed head trauma with loss of consciousness
- History of cerebrovascular disease (stroke, TIAs)
- Abnormal MRI (except changes accounted for by technical factors or UBOs)
- Neuroendocrine disorders (e.g., Cushings disease)
- Uncorrected hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism
- Current or past history of cancer
- Recent history (within two years) of myocardial infarction, severe cardiovascular disease, or currently active cardiovascular disease (e.g. angina, cardiomyopathy)
- Uncontrolled hypertension or hypotension
- Chronic pain syndromes
- Chronic fatigue syndromes
- Subjects unable to tolerate the scanning procedures (e.g., claustrophobia)
- Prior treatment within the last month with any of the following: antidepressants, mood stabilizers, glucocorticoids, opiates
- Prior treatment with any of the following: antipsychotics, isoniazid, centrally active antihypertensive drugs (e.g. clonidine, reserpine)
- Metal in body or prior history working with metal fragments (e.g., as a machinist)
Where it is running
- Dartmouth College — Hanover, New Hampshire, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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