Despite the accumulative literature on the negative effects of nocebo on pain outcomes, not much is known about the underlying psychological and physiological mechanisms of nocebo hyperalgesia. Some evidence exists that stress and fear of pain could play an important role in the development of nocebo effects. The aim of the current research line is to understand the role stress and fear play in developing of nocebo hyperalgesia, and how these effects can be minimized.

Methods

We use experimental designs to be able to investigate the causal relationship between stress, fear and nocebo hyperalgesia. We look at several aspects of stress and fear: social stress, general and pain-specific fear, and physiological markers of stress (cortisol, alpha-amylase, heart rate, skin conductance). For nocebo effects induction, we use validated nocebo paradigms such as classical conditioning and verbal suggestions.

• Thomaidou, M. A., Veldhuijzen, D. S., Meulders, A., & Evers, A. W. M. (2021). An experimental investigation into the mediating role of pain-related fear in boosting nocebo hyperalgesia. Pain, 162(1), 287–299. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002017

• Skvortsova, A., & Meeuwis, S. H. (2021, February 2). Stress and nocebo effects: the effects of social stress on pain conditioning. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/3Z4F8 

• classical conditioning
• expectations
• fear
• nocebo