Methods are disclosed for determining brain and psychological determinants of placebo response in individuals. The method may include creating a biosignature for use as a predictor of placebo response by neuroimaging a brain of an individual with magnetic resonance imaging, identifying a prefrontal cortex functional connection, identifying capacity of awareness and regulation of emotions, and stratifying the individual as a predicted placebo responder or a non-responder based upon the prefrontal cortex functional connection, capacity of awareness, and regulation of emotions. Methods are also disclosed for treating a patient with chronic pain using a biosignature to predict placebo response and wherein the treatment is inert.
BRAIN AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF PLACEBO RESPONSE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PAIN