An intriguing imaging study has found that genuine acupuncture needles activate brain areas beyond the ones that light up when trick needles are used. Clinical trials into acupuncture have had mixed results and many studies have suggested that the placebo effect accounts for most of the benefits seen. It now appears that, although the placebo effect accounts for much of the effect, there is indeed a real effect going on there.

And while we're on the subject of expectations, here's a cute study - the effects of alcohol on your sex drive can apparently be replicated simply by being exposed to flashes of alcohol-related words on a computer screen. After subconciously experiencing these words, the subjects (male students) rated the attractiveness of young women (from photos!), and - here's the interesting part - how highly they rated them depended on whether they believed alcohol enhanced or depressed their sex drive.

And if you're interested in the complexity of our experience of pain (and it is a complex issue), check out this article on what imaging studies have shown us.