Program
Information
Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
June, 15—18, 2025
Organizers
Partners
Opening Ceremony
Keynote lecture I
Poster highlights presentation
Plenary session I
Unraveling the mechanisms: learning and biology in placebo and nocebo effects
Flash talks session I
Unraveling the mechanisms: learning and biology in placebo and nocebo effects
Keynote lecture II
Plenary session II
Placebo and nocebo effects in various health contexts
Flash talks session II
Placebo and nocebo effects in various health contexts
Symposia – session I
The gut-brain connection: placebo and nocebo effects in hunger, diet and abdominal pain
Symposia – session II
Unravelling the role of expectations in placebo and intervention research
Symposia – session III
Novel computational perspectives on placebo effects
Symposia – session IV
How to reduce nocebo effects? Recent experimental and clinical evidence on the effects of side effect framing
Science slam
Keynote lecture III
Plenary session III
Understanding the dynamics: factors influencing placebo and nocebo responses
Flash talks session III
Understanding the dynamics: factors influencing placebo and nocebo responses
Symposia – session V
Open-label placebo clinical applications from acute to chronic pain: successes and challenges
Symposia – session VI
Exploring the world of appetite: how placebo and nocebo impact hunger, food preferences, and weight changes
Symposia – session VII
Unravelling placebo effects in communication and clinical interactions: from neurobiological mechanisms to clinical interventions
Symposia – session VIII
Contextual effects, the Bayesian predictive brain and active inference in musculoskeletal care
Keynote lecture IV
Plenary session IV
Translating placebo and nocebo research into real-world practice
Flash talks session IV
Translating placebo and nocebo research into real-world practice
Closing Ceremony
The spatially computed placebo: rethinking placebos in virtual reality research
Prof. Brennan Spiegel, PhD, MD
The spatially computed placebo: rethinking placebos in virtual reality research
Prof. Brennan Spiegel, PhD, MD
Talk 3: Delineating the relationship between expectations, actual placebo/intervention outcome and perceived treatment benefit using experimental and interventional approaches
Christiane Hermann
Can photorealistic avatars change negative outcome expectations in psychotherapy?
Pauline Bauermann
Q&A
Prof. Ulrike Bingel, PhD, MD, Prof. Ben Colagiuri, PhD, Prof. Andrea Evers, PhD
Learning mechanisms of placebo and nocebo effects: recent evidence and therapeutic options
Prof. Andrea Evers, PhD
From newsfeeds to nocebo: Examining social media’s role in the mechanisms underlying the nocebo effect
Kiarne Humphreys
Talk 1: Placebo and nocebo effects in hunger and food craving: An experimental study in healthy volunteers
Judy Veldhuijzen
Endogenous opioids in action: Naloxone suppresses observationally induced placebo effects in men
Nandini Raghuraman
The pervasive role of suggestion and suggestibility on memory, and beyond
Prof. Giuliana Mazzoni, PhD
The pervasive role of suggestion and suggestibility on memory, and beyond
Prof. Giuliana Mazzoni, PhD
Talk 3: The gut-brain axis and cross-modal nocebo effects: vulnerability of visceral pain
Sigrid Elsenbruch
Efficacy of placebos administered with and without deception on psychological, cognitive, and physical functioning in healthy older adults
Francesco Pagnini
Discontinuation made easier – about (expected) discontinuation symptoms of the contraceptive pill and how information framing might help to manage them
Philine Wienand
Visualizing the representation of a “good doctor” and testing its potential effect on pain modulation
Ilenia Ceccarelli
Pain and effort: Induction of nocebo hyperalgesia through operant conditioning with physical effort as negative reinforcement
Ewa Buglewicz-Przewoźnik
Central and peripheral mechanisms of the placebo effect in fatigue perception
Valeria Volpino
Is deception necessary to decrease appetite for high-calorie food via placebos? – It depends!
Jonas Potthoff
Inform without harm: The nocebo effect of mental health awareness and approaches to reduce it
Dasha Sandra
The interplay between adverse childhood experiences, depressive symptoms and genetic variants on placebo analgesia
Belina Simoes Rodrigues
Cognitive bias modification for interpretation mitigates nocebo hyperalgesia
Tessa Rooney
Discontinuation made easier – about (expected) discontinuation symptoms of the contraceptive pill and how information framing might help to manage them
Philine Wienand
Visualizing the representation of a “good doctor” and testing its potential effect on pain modulation
Ilenia Ceccarelli
Pain and effort: Induction of nocebo hyperalgesia through operant conditioning with physical effort as negative reinforcement
Ewa Buglewicz-Przewoźnik
Central and peripheral mechanisms of the placebo effect in fatigue perception
Valeria Volpino
Is deception necessary to decrease appetite for high-calorie food via placebos? – It depends!
Jonas Potthoff
Inform without harm: The nocebo effect of mental health awareness and approaches to reduce it
Dasha Sandra
The interplay between adverse childhood experiences, depressive symptoms and genetic variants on placebo analgesia
Belina Simoes Rodrigues
Cognitive bias modification for interpretation mitigates nocebo hyperalgesia
Tessa Rooney
Optimizing treatment through pharmacological conditioning: A systematic review
Pien van der Velde
Three dimensions of clinical placebo use: Law, ethics, and practice
Mélina Richard
Three dimensions of clinical placebo use: Law, ethics, and practice
Mélina Richard
Can photorealistic avatars change negative outcome expectations in psychotherapy?
Pauline Bauermann
Optimizing treatment through pharmacological conditioning: A systematic review
Pien van der Velde
From newsfeeds to nocebo: Examining social media’s role in the mechanisms underlying the nocebo effect
Kiarne Humphreys
Opening Ceremony with Travel Grants
Opening Ceremony with Travel Grants
Lifetime Achievement, Early Career Awards, Best Poster Awards, followed by the Closing Ceremony
Lifetime Achievement, Early Career Awards, Best Poster Awards, followed by the Closing Ceremony
The effect of sleep deprivation on placebo hypoalgesia induced by observational learning
Izabela Łaska
Talk 1: Bayesian inference drives predictive learning and regulation of pain
Flavia Mancini
Talk 2: Can thoughtful likelihood framing reduce nocebo effects? An experimental investigation using the heat pain paradigm and a placebo analgesic cream
Tobias Kube
Talk 1: Open-label placebo injections for chronic pain: efficacy, mechanisms, and clinical implications
Karen Knight
Integrating placebo and nocebo insights into healthcare curricula: educating future and current clinical practitioners
Prof. Katia Mattarozzi, PhD
Talk 2: Open-label placebo vs. hypnosis for chronic neuropathic pain: insights from a randomized controlled trial
Aurore Fernandez
Learning mechanisms of placebo and nocebo effects: recent evidence and therapeutic options
Prof. Andrea Evers, PhD
Learning mechanisms of placebo and nocebo effects: recent evidence and therapeutic options
Prof. Andrea Evers, PhD
Beyond one-size-fits-all: how study design, administration route, and population shape the potential of open-label placebos
Cosima Locher, Phd
Talk 3: Rethinking risk disclosure: mitigating nocebo headache after lumbar puncture
Livia Asan
Talk 2: A Bayesian perspective on how control and agency affect expectation effects in pain
Christian Büchel
Talk 1: Bayesian inference drives predictive learning and regulation of pain
Flavia Mancini
Talk 2: A Bayesian perspective on how control and agency affect expectation effects in pain
Christian Büchel
Talk 1: Positive attribute framing as a tool to mitigate nocebo effects: durability, mechanisms, and contextual risks
Kirsten Barnes
Talk 1: Positive attribute framing as a tool to mitigate nocebo effects: durability, mechanisms, and contextual risks
Kirsten Barnes
Talk 2: Can thoughtful likelihood framing reduce nocebo effects? An experimental investigation using the heat pain paradigm and a placebo analgesic cream
Tobias Kube
Talk 3: Rethinking risk disclosure: mitigating nocebo headache after lumbar puncture
Livia Asan
Influence of verbal suggestions on the therapeutic effects of spinal manipulation in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain: A randomized controlled trial
Kamil Zaworski
Pain chronification: A psychoeducational song bridging science, emotion, and recovery in chronic pain
Pavel Goldstein
Fake drugs, real high - Inducing altered states of consciousness through expectations
Lukas A. Basedow
The neuroscience of belief: Decoding brain activity behind expectations and athletic performance
Janina Hanssen
Are OLPs ready for clinical use yet?
Leo Druart
The curious case of Ketamine conditioning
Hans van Lennep
Vaccines, beliefs, and the bessy business of persuasion
Marcel Wilhelm
Pain chronification: A psychoeducational song bridging science, emotion, and recovery in chronic pain
Pavel Goldstein
Fake drugs, real high - Inducing altered states of consciousness through expectations
Lukas A. Basedow
The neuroscience of belief: Decoding brain activity behind expectations and athletic performance
Janina Hanssen
Are OLPs ready for clinical use yet?
Leo Druart
The curious case of Ketamine conditioning
Hans van Lennep
Vaccines, beliefs, and the bessy business of persuasion
Marcel Wilhelm
Placebo effects in the motor system
Prof. Mirta Fiorio, PhD
Placebo effects as relational responding
Prof. Jan De Houwer, PhD
Placebo effects as relational responding
Prof. Jan De Houwer, PhD
Neurobiological mechanisms underlying placebo and nocebo effects in pain and beyond: what do we know and what’s next?
Prof. Ulrike Bingel, PhD, MD
Talk 1: Managing expectations for improving clinical outcomes
Yang Wang
From me to you and beyond: the role of social learning in nocebo effects and how to prevent it
Prof. Ben Colagiuri, PhD
Neurobiological mechanisms underlying placebo and nocebo effects in pain and beyond: what do we know and what’s next?
Prof. Ulrike Bingel, PhD, MD
From me to you and beyond: the role of social learning in nocebo effects and how to prevent it
Prof. Ben Colagiuri, PhD
Learning mechanisms of placebo and nocebo effects: recent evidence and therapeutic options
Prof. Andrea Evers, PhD
Q&A
Prof. Ulrike Bingel, PhD, MD, Prof. Ben Colagiuri, PhD, Prof. Andrea Evers, PhD
Body image is prone to nocebo verbal suggestion
Aleksandra Budzisz
Talk 2: Positive alignment of treatment expectations: clinical use of communication and placebo effects for improving pain management
Regine Klinger
Talk 1: Managing expectations for improving clinical outcomes
Yang Wang
Talk 2: Positive alignment of treatment expectations: clinical use of communication and placebo effects for improving pain management
Regine Klinger
Talk 3: Delineating the relationship between expectations, actual placebo/intervention outcome and perceived treatment benefit using experimental and interventional approaches
Christiane Hermann
The role of cannabidiol in pain and mood disorders: evidence for a breakthrough or merely a placebo?
Prof. Katarzyna Starowicz-Bubak, Phd
Placebo effects in the motor system
Prof. Mirta Fiorio, PhD
The role of cannabidiol in pain and mood disorders: evidence for a breakthrough or merely a placebo?
Prof. Katarzyna Starowicz-Bubak, Phd
Beyond one-size-fits-all: how study design, administration route, and population shape the potential of open-label placebos
Cosima Locher, Phd
Open-label placebo in antidepressant discontinuation: Findings from a series of N-of-1 trials
Amke Müller
Body image is prone to nocebo verbal suggestion
Aleksandra Budzisz
Influence of verbal suggestions on the therapeutic effects of spinal manipulation in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain: A randomized controlled trial
Kamil Zaworski
Open-label placebo in antidepressant discontinuation: Findings from a series of N-of-1 trials
Amke Müller
Efficacy of placebos administered with and without deception on psychological, cognitive, and physical functioning in healthy older adults
Francesco Pagnini
Leveraging memory structures in pain perception: A latent cause perspective on placebo analgesia
Alina Panzel
Talk 2: Placebo in dietary treatment trials
Heidi Staudacher
Talk 1: Placebo and nocebo effects in hunger and food craving: An experimental study in healthy volunteers
Judy Veldhuijzen
Talk 2: Placebo in dietary treatment trials
Heidi Staudacher
Talk 3: The gut-brain axis and cross-modal nocebo effects: vulnerability of visceral pain
Sigrid Elsenbruch
Mind over machine: generative AI, placebo, and nocebo effects
Charlotte Blease, PhD
Talk 1: Mind over matter: exploring placebo and nocebo effects in weight loss and fitness interventions
Magdalena Żegleń
Reducing nocebo-related side effects: challenges and opportunities for clinical practice
Prof. Keith Petrie, PhD
Reducing nocebo-related side effects: challenges and opportunities for clinical practice
Prof. Keith Petrie, PhD
Mind over machine: generative AI, placebo, and nocebo effects
Charlotte Blease, PhD
Integrating placebo and nocebo insights into healthcare curricula: educating future and current clinical practitioners
Prof. Katia Mattarozzi, PhD
Talk 3: Active inference in musculoskeletal care: an integrative framework of free energy, causal and stochastic changes
Jorge Eduardo Esteves
Talk 2: Clinical interactions and treatment outcomes: exploring the neuroscience of therapeutic alliance using fMRI hyperscan
Arvina Grahl
Placebo hypoalgesia: A transient state or a stable trait?
Anna Han
Endogenous opioids in action: Naloxone suppresses observationally induced placebo effects in men
Nandini Raghuraman
Placebo hypoalgesia: A transient state or a stable trait?
Anna Han
The effect of sleep deprivation on placebo hypoalgesia induced by observational learning
Izabela Łaska
Leveraging memory structures in pain perception: A latent cause perspective on placebo analgesia
Alina Panzel
Talk 2: The Bayesian predictive brain in placebo analgesia, nocebo hyperalgesia and beyond
Eleonora Maria Camerone
Talk 1: Optimizing expectations through communication: From theory to lab to practice
Kaya Peerdeman
Talk 1: Optimizing expectations through communication: From theory to lab to practice
Kaya Peerdeman
Talk 2: Clinical interactions and treatment outcomes: exploring the neuroscience of therapeutic alliance using fMRI hyperscan
Arvina Grahl
A multimodal approach to expectations and placebo effects: biomarkers, phenotypes, disparities, and cultural aspects
Prof. Luana Colloca, PhD, MD
Expectations: when and how do they play a role in placebo and nocebo effects?
Prof. Lene Vase, PhD
Tripping on context: Characteristics and predictors of placebo psychedelic responses and side effects
Madeline Stein
Talk 3: Mind over water: neurocognitive mechanisms of placebo effects of water on hunger sensations and food preferences
Liane Schmidt
Modality-specific nocebo effects: Visceral pain amplification through expectations and anxiety
Robert Jan Pawlik
Talk 3: Examining open-label-placebo as an opioid-sparing treatment for acute pain
Michael Bernstein
Talk 1: Open-label placebo injections for chronic pain: efficacy, mechanisms, and clinical implications
Karen Knight
Talk 2: Open-label placebo vs. hypnosis for chronic neuropathic pain: insights from a randomized controlled trial
Aurore Fernandez
Talk 3: Examining open-label-placebo as an opioid-sparing treatment for acute pain
Michael Bernstein
Implicit and affective processes in placebo and nocebo effects from verbal communication
Prof. Andrew Geers, PhD
Expectations: when and how do they play a role in placebo and nocebo effects?
Prof. Lene Vase, PhD
Implicit and affective processes in placebo and nocebo effects from verbal communication
Prof. Andrew Geers, PhD
A multimodal approach to expectations and placebo effects: biomarkers, phenotypes, disparities, and cultural aspects
Prof. Luana Colloca, PhD, MD
The power of the past: How previous treatment experiences shape placebo responses in chronic pain patients
Arvina Grahl
Tripping on context: Characteristics and predictors of placebo psychedelic responses and side effects
Madeline Stein
Modality-specific nocebo effects: Visceral pain amplification through expectations and anxiety
Robert Jan Pawlik
The power of the past: How previous treatment experiences shape placebo responses in chronic pain patients
Arvina Grahl
Talk 1: Contextual effects in musculoskeletal care: advances, challenges, and future perspectives
Giacomo Rossettini
Talk 1: Contextual effects in musculoskeletal care: advances, challenges, and future perspectives
Giacomo Rossettini
Talk 2: The Bayesian predictive brain in placebo analgesia, nocebo hyperalgesia and beyond
Eleonora Maria Camerone
Talk 3: Active inference in musculoskeletal care: an integrative framework of free energy, causal and stochastic changes
Jorge Eduardo Esteves
Talk 2: Placebo interventions to modulate appetite: sex-specific psychobiological and cognitive responses
Karin Meissner
Talk 1: Mind over matter: exploring placebo and nocebo effects in weight loss and fitness interventions
Magdalena Żegleń
Talk 2: Placebo interventions to modulate appetite: sex-specific psychobiological and cognitive responses
Karin Meissner
Talk 3: Mind over water: neurocognitive mechanisms of placebo effects of water on hunger sensations and food preferences
Liane Schmidt
