The Focus on Neuroscience Box, "The Mysterious Placebo Effect," Described

question 19

Multiple Choice

The Focus on Neuroscience box, "The Mysterious Placebo Effect," described a PET-scan study on the placebo effect. What was the main finding of the study?

• A)Both the genuine painkiller and the placebo activated the same brain area and both relieved pain.
• B)The genuine painkiller and the placebo activated different brain areas, and only the genuine painkiller relieved pain.
• C)The genuine painkiller activated the anterior cingulate cortex, but the placebo inhibited activation in the anterior cingulate cortex.
• D)The genuine painkiller inhibited activation in the anterior cingulate cortex, but the placebo activated the anterior cingulate cortex.

---

Definitions:

Optimal

The best or most favorable condition, level, or amount of something for a particular situation or purpose.

Sleep

A natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended.

William James

A pioneering American psychologist and philosopher who made significant contributions to the fields of psychology, educational psychology, philosophy, and pragmatism.

Metaphor

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action that is not literally applicable, typically for rhetorical or illustrative purposes.