Chapter 3 – Comprehensive review 67 Through this review, we intend to provide a detailed overview of current neurobiological nocebo studies on pain and their findings. While a systematic review on this topic was not preferable due to the scarcity and diversity of neurobiological nocebo studies, a comprehensive and detailed account of these studies could be very valuable. First, in Table 1, we briefly list the different experimental models used to induce nocebo hyperalgesia across the included studies. We then provide a comprehensive overview of electrophysiological, neurochemical, and structural and functional correlates of nocebo hyperalgesia in healthy humans. These findings are discussed in relation to the sensory and cognitive processes involved, thereby providing a clear and comprehensive overview of the multitude of brain correlates involved in nocebo hyperalgesia. Finally, recommendations are provided to use more consistent methodologies and reporting of results and for replication studies. Figure 1. Illustration of three typical experimental paradigms for the induction of nocebo hyperalgesia. The acquisition column refers to the learning phase, whether conditioningmediated, verbal, or observational learning. The evocation column refers to the evocation of the learned effect. Typically, an acquisition phase serves to induce negative expectations via conditioning, negative suggestions, observational learning, or any combination of these methods. Negative expectations are induced by combining an inert treatment with a surreptitious increase in pain stimulation (conditioning), by being told that a treatment will lead to increased pain sensitivity (negative suggestion), and/or by observing this negative treatment effect on someone else (observational learning).
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