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Brief Communications

Opioid-Mediated Placebo Responses Boost Pain Endurance and Physical Performance: Is It Doping in Sport Competitions?

Fabrizio Benedetti, Antonella Pollo and Luana Colloca
Journal of Neuroscience 31 October 2007, 27 (44) 11934-11939; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3330-07.2007
Fabrizio Benedetti
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Antonella Pollo
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Luana Colloca
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Abstract

The neurobiological investigation of the placebo effect has shown that placebos can activate the endogenous opioid systems in some conditions. So far, the impact of this finding has been within the context of the clinical setting. Here we present an experiment that simulates a sport competition, a situation in which opioids are considered to be illegal drugs. After repeated administrations of morphine in the precompetition training phase, its replacement with a placebo on the day of competition induced an opioid-mediated increase of pain endurance and physical performance, although no illegal drug was administered. The placebo analgesic responses were obtained after two morphine administrations that were separated as long as 1 week from each other. These long time intervals indicate that the pharmacological conditioning procedure has long-lasting effects and that opioid-mediated placebo responses may have practical implications and applications. For example, in the context of the present sport simulation, athletes can be preconditioned with morphine and then a placebo can be given just before competition, thus avoiding administration of the illegal drug on the competition day. However, these morphine-like effects of placebos raise the important question whether opioid-mediated placebo responses are ethically acceptable in sport competitions or whether they have to be considered a doping procedure in all respects.

  • placebo
  • pain
  • opioids
  • conditioning
  • sport
  • doping
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The Journal of Neuroscience: 27 (44)
Journal of Neuroscience
Vol. 27, Issue 44
31 Oct 2007
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Opioid-Mediated Placebo Responses Boost Pain Endurance and Physical Performance: Is It Doping in Sport Competitions?
Fabrizio Benedetti, Antonella Pollo, Luana Colloca
Journal of Neuroscience 31 October 2007, 27 (44) 11934-11939; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3330-07.2007

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Opioid-Mediated Placebo Responses Boost Pain Endurance and Physical Performance: Is It Doping in Sport Competitions?
Fabrizio Benedetti, Antonella Pollo, Luana Colloca
Journal of Neuroscience 31 October 2007, 27 (44) 11934-11939; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3330-07.2007
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  • Danger of Opiate Abuse
    Roger C Deacon
    Published on: 10 March 2009
  • Published on: (10 March 2009)
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    Danger of Opiate Abuse
    • Roger C Deacon, GP principal

    This very interesting piece of research informs athletes that one of the most dangerous drugs of abuse on the planet's surface is useful to enhance performance. I hope this does not lead to any increase in the abuse of these drugs but fear the opposite.

    I note that it was screened by an ethics committee.

    Competing Interests: None declared.

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