No Increased Suggestibility to Placebo in Functional Neurological Disorder, 2021, Huys, Edwards et al

[Andy]

Abstract
Background
On the basis of occasional strong placebo responses, increased susceptibility to placebo has been proposed as a characteristic of functional neurological disorder. The aim of this study was to clarify whether people with functional neurological disorder have a stronger placebo analgesic response than healthy controls.

Methods
A classic placebo paradigm, with additional conditioning and open‐label components, was performed in 30 patients with a functional neurological disorder, and in 30 healthy controls. Ratings of mildly to moderately painful electrotactile stimuli were compared before and after the application of a placebo “anaesthetic” cream versus a control cream, after an additional conditioning exposure, and after full disclosure (open‐label component).

Results
Pain intensity ratings at the placebo compared to the control site were similarly reduced in both groups. The conditioning exposure had no additional effect. After placebo disclosure a residual analgesic effect remained.

Conclusion
Functional neurological disorder patients did not have stronger placebo responses than healthy controls. The notion of generally increased suggestibility or increased suggestibility to placebo in FND seems mistaken. Instead, occasional dramatic placebo responses may occur because functional symptoms are inherently more changeable than those due to organic disease.

Paywall, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ene.14816

 

[Sean]

The notion of generally increased suggestibility or increased suggestibility to placebo in FND seems mistaken.

 

[rvallee]

Does the D in FND stand for duh?

To circle the point while missing it:

Instead, occasional dramatic placebo responses may occur because functional symptoms are inherently more changeable than those due to organic disease.

Yes, because there is no such thing as a known "organic" disease that has changes or is unpredictable. You know how it goes: you get the flu and day 1 is exactly like the last day, no change in-between. Pure static, no change whatsoever there, everything is predictable and follows a clearly linear path that is universally the same for everyone.

Again they are literally using their own failures to justify more failures. They dismiss the reality that some diseases are very unpredictable then create an alternative category for unpredictable things and label it as they want. My eyes can't roll that far. Medieval alchemists were genuinely more scientifically sound than this.