New research reveals that the brain’s response to hot sauce is influenced by our expectations of pleasure or pain prior to tasting it.
According to experts, this discovery could have significant implications beyond the culinary world. Understanding how positive and negative expectations shape our sensory experiences may enhance medical practices, particularly in optimizing placebo effects during treatments.
A study involving 47 participants—split between those who favor spicy foods and those who do not—has shed light on this intriguing connection.
