Mind Field (2017–…): Season 2, Episode 6 - The Power of Suggestion - full transcript

[dramatic music playing]

[Michael]
This is McGill University

in Montreal, Canada.

It boasts an enrollment of more
than 40,000 students

from 150 countries.

The campus employs
1,700 professors

teaching 300 programs
of study,

and it's proud to be home
to 12 Nobel Prize winners.

It is considered
one of the finest

research universities
in the world.

Recently, researchers at McGill
have embarked on a study



that uses a brain scanning
device to read people's minds

and implant thoughts
into their heads.

Or so their subjects think.

Now, the same device may be able
to help kids with ADHD,

anxiety,
obsessive-compulsive disorder,

migraines,
Tourette's and more.

This study is not
about technology.

The MRI machine behind me
may look impressive,

but it's a sham.

It's deactivated,
nonfunctioning.

What this study
is really about

is faith in science.

It's about the power
of thoughts to heal.

All you need is the power
of suggestion.



[theme music playing]

A placebo is something
that shouldn't work,

but due to the power
of suggestion

and because of the strength
of our belief, does.

But we don't fully understand
yet how they work.

There could be
an evolutionary explanation.

For example, if a small child
hurts themselves,

negative symptoms like pain
and crying can be good.

They keep the child safe
and still

while signaling adults
to come help.

When help arrives,

even if it
has no active effect,

the child's brain may feel

it has permission to redirect

resources away
from seeking help

and onto actually healing.

Modern medicine has found
a way to harness this power

by prescribing placebos.

But not all placebos work
the same.

For example, a sugar pill
will help your headache more

if given to you by a doctor

than by a poker buddy.

And the color
of the placebo matters, too.

A blue pill will work
to make you feel calm

better than a white pill

because blue
is a more calming color.

And a red pill
will keep you awake

and give you more energy

than a blue pill will.

A capsule will work
better than a pill

because it looks
more important.

Also, an injection will work
better than a capsule

because it seems
more serious

and potent.

There's even evidence
that fake or sham surgeries

have positive effects.

It may be fake medicine,

but the effects can be real.

And not just because the patient
feels better psychologically.

We're talking
real physical healing,

thanks to the power
of the brain.

I traveled to Montreal

to meet local children
struggling

with debilitating behavioral

and neurological conditions

who would soon find out
whether their afflictions

could be cured
by the power of suggestion.

-This is Malaya.
-Hi.

Malaya. I'm Michael.
Nice to meet you.

Twelve-year-old Malaya
suffers from a common

skin ailment, eczema.

But she has also developed

a skin picking disorder,
dermatillomania.

You're starting high school
what, like this year?

Early September.

Wow, that's a big step.

So, what kind of things,
like, worry you,

uh, given the symptoms
that you have?

Probably the picking.

-Of your skin?
-[Malaya] Yeah.

I don't know, I find
it satisfying to pick.

It's kind of gross.

Why do you think
you can't stop?

I'm not sure.

Have you tried
different things

that'll help you stop?

Yeah. Like, in my mind,

I'm just like,
"Today you won't pick.

You are gonna get rid
of this eczema."

And then after,
I'm just like,

"Oh, wait. My face is,
like, bleeding."

-Yeah. Is it embarrassing?
-Yeah.

I like to wear long sleeves
because my arms are, like,

if they're really bad,
I'm gonna try to wear
long sleeves.

How are your arms now?

It's, like, really bad.
So, as you can see--

And it's all just
from scratching and picking?

Yeah.

Twelve-year-old Nicholas
was troubled

by debilitating
migraine headaches.

So, what do you wanna
be when you grow up?

Like, I really,
really wanna be,

uh, probably like an NHL
or an MLB player,

one of those two.

Nicholas's love of sports
is unfortunately also

the original source
of his suffering.

Nice.

My first head injury,
which was concussion,

I hit my head
on a soccer post.

And then I hit my head
in a game of, uh, hockey.

Uh, after that, I had headaches
every single day.

I was throwing up,
having auras--

they're like, uh, colors

that you see before
you have a headache.

I wasn't able to go
to school,

and then we went
to the hospital

and into their
concussion program.

Can I see
his migraine chart?

Oh, sure. Yeah. We have
almost two years' worth.

Severe headaches here,
severe migraines.

-[Michael] Every day?
-[Danielle] Every single day.

This has turned
his world upside down.

Nathan was diagnosed with ADHD

and impulse control disorder.

I'd love to hear especially
about you, Nathan.

First of all,
how old are you?

-Nine.
-[Michael] Nine.

-How old you are?
-[Michael] How old
do you think I am?

-Thirty.
-That's a very good guess.

-I'm 31.
-Ooh.

So, tell me about, like,
before Nathan's diagnosis.

What were kind of the symptoms
you were seeing?

Tantrums all the time, um,

just an inability
to reach him,

to communicate to him,
to connect to him,

that was the main symptom.

And what did you
think of this, Nathan?

Were you like, "Why are
my parents not happy?"

-Why weren't you?
-[Nathan] I don't know.

Maybe because I have problems.

And as far as,
like, behavior.

Impulsivity,
hyperactivity,

and you're always,
always on the edge,

always stressed--
what is he gonna touch,

where is he gonna go,
what is he gonna do.

These families had tried
conventional methods

to treat their children
with little success.

But they were about
to find out

whether their symptoms
could be alleviated

using an accessory-assisted
placebo,

a fake non-functioning
MRI machine.

This groundbreaking study
of the power of suggestion

and action is the brainchild
of pioneering researchers

at McGill University's
esteemed Raz Lab.

We study a whole bunch
of different mind-body

interaction topics--
suggestion,

hypnosis, placebo effects.

Anytime the mind is regulating
the body or vice versa,

that's a topic
that we study.

Now, you said
the word "placebo."

And the device
that we are using

is a sham scanner.

Tell me about
the scanner.

[Jay] What we do
with the MRI scanners is

we stack so many different
layers of deception.

In their head, this is
a proper neuroscience study

done at the neurological
institute.

And that's why we wear
lab coats.

That's why we have
all of this

scientific-looking
equipment.

By the time they've actually
started the study,

they've already in their mind

built up all these different
layers of credibility.

They really believe that
what we're doing is real.

[Dr. Veissiere] What's
interesting is that children,

they're not immune to the power
of neuroenchantment.

-Neuroenchantment?
-Neuroenchantment.

-What does that mean?
-So, it's this idea

that there is some kind
of medical magic.

There is immense power
that is attached

to the culture
of neuroscience

whereby neuroscientific props
and accessories

have more healing power,

more physiological effects,

because culturally
people believe that they do.

I mean, the same kind
of cultural cognitive mechanisms

are at play
in religious systems.

So, here we are praying
to the gods of neuroscience

and biomedicine.

Talk to me about
the ethics of lying.

The work we do
with children

actually does not
involve lying.

We tell them at first
that everything that they see

and everything that we do
in the lab is a suggestion.

We explain to them
that suggestion is a way to tap

into the power
of their mind.

We keep emphasizing even
as they go in the scanner

that it is their mind
and their brain
that is doing the healing,

that they're basically
reprogramming their own brain.

The parents knew
that the scanner was a placebo.

But for the study to work,
the children

had to believe
in the procedure.

So, before they visited
the lab,

I enlisted
a few YouTuber friends

to help raise
their expectations.

[Veronica] Hey, guys.

Today, we have
a huge surprise for you

about something
brand new in science

that could affect you!

Oh, I know them.

Well, today,
we learned about

this amazing new machie

that teaches kids' brais

how to heal super-fas.

We really hope that you get
the chance in person

to see how
this machine works.

With a little help
from the machine,

you can focus better,
be more confident.

-And it can even take away
some headaches.
-Awesome.

[Vanessa] Not too many
people get the chance

to have this
awesome experience,

but we hear
the scientists in Canada--

-I'm going to have it?
-Yeah.

And it's very cool.

So, what do you hope
the machine

allows you to do
that makes you better at?

Better at concentrating,

better at focusing.

I wanna heal faster,

and this will probably
be a good idea.

I hope it heals me up
with my concussions

and then I hope
my headaches go away.

I was about to take part
in something remarkable,

the very first use of
accessory-assisted suggestion

on children with these kinds of
symptoms.

Mind Field would play
an integral role in the study.

And the results could be

new and significant for science

On the day
of the first session,

several measures
were put in place

to heighten the children's
neuroenchantment.

-Nathan.
-Nathan, Nathan.

A friendly fake nurse,

a walk down a long,
impressive hallway...

[sighs]

...and a ten-minute
anticipation

building wait
outside the lab.

Then it was time
for their first scan.

Shall we?

While the hypothesis
of this study

was grounded in science,

this was Dr. Veissiere

and Jay Olson's first time

testing their theory
on real children

with real disorders,

and they didn't know
if it would work.

You may lie down
if you'd like.

One of my roles was
to help build up

the children's belief
that it would work.

As you go into the machine,
you'll relax more and more.

Would you like to relax
slowly or quickly today?

-Uh, I can go in quickly.
-Oh, wow, nice.

Very good.

Although the MRI scanner

was completely deactivated,

we needed the kids to believe

-it was fully functional.
-[machine beeps]

So Jay played a series
of realistic sound effects

to signify that
the machine was working,

while Dr. Veissiere
planted the suggestion

that it would help
the patient heal.

You might notice
some unusual feelings,

perhaps a tingling.

Your brain
is continuing to learn,

and to heal,
and to help you find

this constant feeling
of confidence.

If all went well,

the placebo effect
of the sham brain scanner

would convince
the children's conscious minds

that real neuroscience
was at work.

Take a deep, deep breath.

This would allow
their subconscious minds

to harness the power
of their brains

to heal themselves.

For people with migraines,
it's often in the front

or the back part of the head,

but it could also
be like a feeling

like outside the head.

So I'm not sure what it's
gonna be like for you.

We'll find out afterwards.

So, we'll now slide you in.

Cool, it's like
a roller coaster.

I love roller coasters.

The deeper you go in,
the more you'll relax.

Okay. I wanna go
all the way deep.

[machine beeps]

I know. This is because you're
already at level three.

You might notice
that deeper feeling

of relaxation.

Yes.

Yes.

The scientists at McGill

believe that children's brains

have always had the ability

to control their symptoms.

The children just needed
to believe it themselves.

[machine beeps]

[sneezes]

Yeah. So the beeps can
sometimes make people sneeze

as a sign of their relaxing
just very deeply.

Right. Very well.

You did very,
very well, Nathan.

The children all appeared
to enjoy the procedure,

and the researchers and I
did our best

to reinforce
their neuroenchantment.

So when you heard
the first set of beeps
and the second set of beeps,

did you notice feeling
them in different parts
of your body?

Well, the first time
I went in the machine,

I kind of felt it here.

-Okay. Good.
-What level was
she taken to today?

Level two.

-Level two.
-Yeah. Level two is great.

-Uh-hmm.
-Yeah.

When I was in the machine,
I felt like I was going,

like, backwards
and forwards.

Okay. That's very good.
That's a very good sign.

You might have noticed
how you were yawning.

That's great.

For a kid
with hyperactivity,

Nathan was already
appearing calmer.

But before our young subjects
left the lab,

Dr. Veissiere
bolstered the suggestion

that today's session
would help them

continue
their healing process.

[Dr. Veissiere]
So I know for sure

that you're gonna
be more relaxed,

much, much less anxious.

I would not
be surprised at all

if the scratching
really diminished

to no scratching at all.

The amazing thing
about the brain

is that it has
this fantastic power
to heal itself.

But now what we've
been able to do here

with the power
of suggestion

is to get your brain
to work faster

and better
all the time.

So how do you feel?

-Amazing.
-Oh, nice.

Mind Field
provided the Raz Lab

with Octopus
by JOY smart watches.

[Nathan] Leftie rules.

They were specially programmed

to remind the children
in between visits

that their brain
was healing itself.

[Dr. Veissiere] Just having
the watch with you

will make you feel better.

But it's not the watch
or it's not the machine

that's making you feel good,

it's your own brain.

In six weeks,
we would return to the lab

to check in on their progress.

[dramatic music playing]

This high-tech contraption
is pretty much

what McGill University's first
sham brain scanner looked like.

It was an old discarded
hair dryer.

But the patients
didn't know that.

In the original study,
56 undergraduate students

were told that it was able
to reduce pain,

cause amnesia,
influence sexual attraction,

and produce various
other impressive effects.

The lab's new, more modern
sham brain scanner

shows even more promise.

And I was invited
to participate in its test

on a whole new group
of adult subjects.

Okay, so you can come in here
and just grab a seat.

Yes.

These college students are fully
aware

of what's possible today with
neuroscience.

Could even they be
neuroenchanted enough

to believe in the impossible,

that an MRI scanner could read
their thoughts?

Now, we're looking
at cutting-edge

-psychological research.
-Okay.

Yes. It's part of the neural
activation mapping project.

We're gonna be putting
you in an MRI.

So, uh, it's a modified one,
it's called the CTMSF MRI.

-Okay.
-So, Combined Transcranial
Magnetic Stimulation

Functional Magnetic
Resonance Imaging,

which is a big word just
meaning it can both read

-and influence thoughts.
-All right. Okay.

So, you'll be choosing
a number from 10 to 99.

-Okay.
-[Jay] And then
from looking at your,

uh, neural activation
patterns,

Dr. Veissiere here
will try to infer

-which number you're thinking.
-Hmm, interesting.

-Okay.
-Okay, great.

Most adults know
the basics about MRIs,

so we made sure to cover
every detail.

In the scanner,
the magnetism is a lot less.

That's good
for documentary team;
they can bring a camera.

So, that said,
we do have to remove
the metal glasses.

-Got it. All this?
-After this realistic,

but completely
unnecessary step,

it was time to begin our fake
mind-reading experiment.

So, we're gonna start
the calibration.

So, try to stay
very still.

Of course there was actually
nothing to calibrate,

but we were conditioning
our subjects

with the expected
procedures, sights,

and sounds
of a real MRI study.

[machine sounds]

Okay. Think
of the number one.

The subjects
were asked to concentrate

on the numbers zero to nine.

while the machine supposedly

mapped parts of their brains.

Think of the number nine.

Dr. Veissiere
and I remained in character

at all times,
pretending to analyze

the subject's brain activity.

But the images on our screens

were actually old MRI scans
from former patients.

-Is the calibration good?
-Looks pretty good to me.

With our subject now primed,

it was time
to convince her

that the scanner
could identify a number

she was thinking of
by reading her mind.

[Jay] You're gonna choose
a number from 10 to 99.

-Okay.
-You're gonna hear a beep.

Then you'll hear
a second beep.

So you're always
making your decision

-between the two beeps.
-Okay.

-Okay?
-Got it.

-So I'll slide you in.
-Mm-hmm.

[machine sounds]

[machine beeps]

[machine beeps]

So hold on to that number
for just a second.

-Okay.
-Um, uh, they're gonna print

-it out and then we'll see.
-Okay.

It was pretty clear--

We pretended to give Jay

the results
of the MRI's analysis,

but actually Jay was about
to add the subject's number

to the document
with a little sleight of hand.

Okay. So you can stay lying
down just for a second.

-What was the number?
-Thirty-one.

Thirty-one. Uh, okay, cool.

So if you can sit up here.

What?

[Jay] But it's pretty close,
but it swapped, huh?

Yeah. Okay.

That miss
was actually intentional

so that the results
didn't appear to be perfect,

adding to the realism.

So, um, are you
doing well?

We'll do-- we'll do
another trial with this.

The same thing, okay?
Slide you in.

[machine sounds]

Michelle thought
of a new number.

Would the scanner
get it right this time?

-Super clear.
-It's clear.

Really good this time.

[Jay] All right.
They think the signal is clear.

-What was your number?
-Twenty-seven.

Uh, 27, did you say?

-Twenty-seven.
-Oh, okay, great. Yeah.

So, uh,
if you can sit up here.

Yes. Oh, wow. What?

I don't understand.

Crazy.

-So, you chose 27.
-I did.

And the technician
thought 27 as well.

-Yeah. Okay.
-Yeah.

-[Michelle] All right.
-Oh, wow.

How does that feel?

Um, I didn't expect it
to be so specific.

-Yeah.
-Um, a lot of different areas

in the brain
could be lighting up

just to think of
the concept of a number.

What do you know, it worked.

Thanks to the wonders
of science,

or rather the skills of Jay,

who in addition to being
a neuroscientist

happens to be a professional
magician on the side.

While Jay won't reveal
the secret of the trick--

the mind-reading illusion

is very similar
to the mentalist's tricks

that have entertained audiences
for over a century.

The only difference
is that when audiences

see the stunt performed
in a magic setting,

they think it's a great trick,

not real science.

-The machine had 89.
-[laughs] That's cool.

However, in the impressive
scientific setting

of the Raz Lab,
these subjects thought

our magic trick
was real science.

-[Jay] Right here.
-Oh, my God.

They didn't realize
that the real science

-they were experiencing...
-It's pretty cool.

...was the power of suggestion.

Oh, wow.

A dose of neuroenchantment this
powerful

can make for a formidable

and effective placebo.

I wanna talk about
the physical sensation.

-Sure.
-What was your experience?

It felt like a headache
was coming on.

It sort of felt
like, uh, like,

-tingling through my head.
-Up where?

Uh, just through this area,

like, this whole area
felt more like full.

I felt like,
uh, sort of, uh,

a pressure or something
like that.

It was, uh,
a strange feeling.

-Like, back here a little bit.
-In the back?

Yeah, a little bit
in the back.

Somewhere in the back
of the head? Interesting.

Oh, okay.

I wanna hear
what it felt like

to have your mind read.

That was very strange.

I think I was
probably skeptical,

like, going into it,
and then I couldn't

figure out as I
was thinking, like, why--

how that would
happen otherwise,

and so, I'm just,
I think, in a baffled state.

Yeah, yeah.

It was time to clear up

this baffling mystery.

So, some deception
has been going on today.

Dr. Olsen is, uh,
not reading your mind.

Neither is this machine.

-This machine is deactivated.
-How? Okay.

All the noises
were coming from a speaker.

It was an illusion?
Oh, my God.

That's pretty cool.

Dr. Olsen is, uh,
not reading your mind.

-No.
-The sounds you're hearing

are not magnets,
it's just from a speaker.

The machine in there
is actually deactivated,

-it's not working.
-Wow, it's like placebo?

[Dr. Veissiere] Yeah, yeah.
That's exactly what it is.

Now imagine tapping
into this power
for other effects

-like healing, for example.
-Right.

Wow.

I definitely believe

the placebo effect
is alive and well.

♪

There's evidence
that the power of suggestion

even works on animals.

A study at North Carolina
State University

found that 86% of dogs

receiving real seizure
medication

had a reduction in seizures.

But almost as many,
a full 79%,

experience the same effect
from just a placebo pill.

And we don't know how a placebo
affects a dog's brain,

but it could be that dogs
have learned to associate

vet visits
and medicine from humans

with feeling better.

So, giving them a placebo

could help a dog's brain
heal itself.

[Dr. Veissiere] So first
I'll ask you to lie down again.

And of course,
you're total pro at this.

For several weeks,

the children
had undergone sessions

in the sham scanner
at McGill University.

The body continues to relax

as we keep unleashing
this healing energy.

Each time
they were reminded

that through concentration
and relaxation,

they were helping heal
their own brains.

Here we go.

Finally, after six weeks

of receiving
the placebo sessions,

it was time to get a report
on the results.

Malaya suffered from anxiety

and a compulsive
skin picking disorder.

Had she experienced
any level of success?

-It's good to see you.
-It's good to see you.

Go ahead
and take a seat.

You're wearing,
like, not even--

I thought maybe you'd
have short sleeves on.

You've just got
a tank top on.

Your arms look fantastic.
They've really gotten better.

And your face--
I mean, all of it.

Why do you think
you're better?

-I'm guessing it's the machine.
-Yeah, what about it?

Uh, I'm not really sure
how it works,

but I'm picking
a lot less.

Sometimes if I see,
like, a tiny flake,

I'll just leave it there.

That's a pretty
short amount of time

for such a big change
in the way you think
and behave.

That's awesome.

I don't really feel
the urge to do it

as much as I did before.

So it's a big improvement,
I guess.

Yeah, that definitely feels
like and sounds like

your brain
being powerful.

[Malaya] It's obviously
doing something

because my arms are better.

Well, you seem
a lot more confident.

Holding your head up higher.

Would you agree,
Anne Marie?

Yes.

She seems
less anxious.

She's more
positive overall.

-I was hoping for this...
-It's wonderful to see.

...more than this
to see her going.

Yeah.
Well, good work.

And as for Nicholas
and his migraine headaches...

-Hey.
-Hi.

It's good to see
you again, Nicholas.

Tell me about the procedure
and how you felt afterwards.

It accomplished all the things
that I wanted it to,

and, I haven't had
a migraine at all.

That's awesome.

And concentration is
a big thing that helped.

Wow. And can I see
the symptom charts?

-For sure.
-So these go back to February?

Yeah, well,
they're really telling.

And you can see not good,
lots going on.

But then recently,
no migraines at all.

-That's incredible.
-Yeah.

So, now, you said you went
to the neurologist?

They thought
it was quite remarkable.

He hasn't needed any,
uh, rescue medication,

he hasn't need the preventer,

um, and he's not
having migraines.

I'm actually really
excited for high school.

Both Malaya
and Nicholas attribute

their improvements
to the sham scanner.

They believed
it was working for them,

and indeed, it did.

So, how did Nathan,
who suffered from ADHD

and impulse control disorder,

fare over the last six weeks?

Well, I received a home video
from Nathan's mother

with an update on his progres.

So, um, the best part about
going through the treatment

was, um, just what
it did to our son.

We noticed a difference
in Nathan

immediately
after the first session.

And do you remember
what happened?

-I slept.
-Yeah. He slept.

Something he doesn't do
very often during the day.

He slept for two hours.

Um, he was refreshed.
It was just incredible to see.

And then what happened
was the entire summer

we had him off the medicine,

and he did great.

He thought about stuff
before he did it,

we were able
to talk things out,

and, uh, it's been fun.

So overall, we're
very pleased and, you know,

we just-- we had such
a great experience,

so thank you very much.

The children's results
are encouraging,

and a powerful sign of how
effective suggestions,

and our willingness to believe
them can be.

In time, the kids will
understand how all of the power

was within them, and not in the
scanner.

This work is
truly cutting-edge.

This hasn't
been done before.

Correct.
We also think of this

as a great new way
to do science
and to collaborate.

So much more of the public
will see what's being done.

Yes. Science isn't just
about publishing a paper
that nobody reads.

It's about spreading
the ideas that you find.

-Hundred percent.
-As far as I'm concerned,

you're already
a co-author

in our scientific
experimental paper.

Wow, very cool.
Thank you.

The children's improvements
were caused

by the placebo effect,

and no deception
was used to mask that.

The parents knew
the machine was deactivated,

and the children
were only told

that it had the power
to put a suggestion

in their brain, a suggestion

that ultimately came
from themselves.

But surely, the more people
learn about placebos

and their lack
of intrinsic power,

the less effective
they'll be, right?

No.

Studies show
that even when subjects

learn that their treatment
was a placebo,

the positive results
do not go away.

What the subjects have learned

about how to heal themselves

remains with them.

It was an honor to have been
a part of this study.

I think this is Mind Field
at its best,

using our resources
to help researchers

with their work
and helping the public

see how the brain is studied.

Placebos can't fix everything,

but these kids
always had the power

to start healing.

All they needed

was the power of suggestion.

And as always,
thanks for watching.

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