Our hosts investigate the dark side of expectation through the story of a mass psychogenic illness at a high school where perceived exposure to toxic chemicals created real symptoms in hundreds of students. The episode examines how negative expectations can trigger genuine physiological responses, from mild side effects to severe adverse reactions. Through interviews with nocebo researchers and neurologists, we explore how the brain's threat detection systems can manifest physical symptoms purely through belief, and the implications for modern healthcare communication.

Host A and B explore the groundbreaking research at Harvard Medical School where patients with chronic back pain showed significant improvement despite knowing they were taking sugar pills. The episode delves into Dr. Ted Kaptchuk's revolutionary studies on open-label placebos, examining how transparent placebo treatments challenge traditional assumptions about deception in placebo effects. Through patient testimonials and neuroimaging data, we uncover how expectation pathways in the brain can trigger natural pain-killing mechanisms, even when patients are fully aware they're receiving a placebo.