[00:06] [dramatic music playing] It boasts an enrollment of more than 40,000 students The campus employs 1,700 professors
[00:22] and it's proud to be home to 12 Nobel Prize winners. research universities in the world. that uses a brain scanning device to read people's minds
[00:38] Or so their subjects think. anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, migraines, Tourette's and more.
[00:54] The MRI machine behind me may look impressive, It's deactivated, nonfunctioning. is faith in science.
[01:09] It's about the power of thoughts to heal. All you need is the power of suggestion.
[01:24] [theme music playing]
[01:37] but due to the power of suggestion But we don't fully understand yet how they work.
[01:49] For example, if a small child hurts themselves, They keep the child safe and still
[02:01] When help arrives, it has permission to redirect and onto actually healing.
[02:15] by prescribing placebos. For example, a sugar pill will help your headache more And the color of the placebo matters, too.
[02:32] A blue pill will work to make you feel calm because blue is a more calming color. and give you more energy
[02:44] A capsule will work better than a pill because it looks more important.
[02:56] Also, an injection will work better than a capsule and potent. have positive effects.
[03:08] but the effects can be real. We're talking real physical healing, thanks to the power of the brain.
[03:27] to meet local children struggling who would soon find out whether their afflictions could be cured by the power of suggestion.
[03:40] Twelve-year-old Malaya suffers from a common But she has also developed a skin picking disorder, dermatillomania.
[03:53] Early September. So, what kind of things, like, worry you, Probably the picking.
[04:06] It's kind of gross. Have you tried different things I'm just like, "Today you won't pick.
[04:21] And then after, I'm just like, -Yeah. Is it embarrassing? -Yeah. if they're really bad, I'm gonna try to wear long sleeves.
[04:34] It's, like, really bad. So, as you can see-- Twelve-year-old Nicholas was troubled
[04:46] So, what do you wanna be when you grow up? uh, probably like an NHL or an MLB player, Nicholas's love of sports is unfortunately also
[05:00] Nice. I hit my head on a soccer post. And then I hit my head in a game of, uh, hockey.
[05:12] I was throwing up, having auras-- I wasn't able to go to school, and into their concussion program.
[05:26] Oh, sure. Yeah. We have almost two years' worth. -[Michael] Every day? -[Danielle] Every single day. Nathan was diagnosed with ADHD
[05:42] I'd love to hear especially about you, Nathan. -How old you are? -[Michael] How old do you think I am? -I'm 31. -Ooh.
[05:57] What were kind of the symptoms you were seeing? just an inability to reach him, that was the main symptom.
[06:12] Were you like, "Why are my parents not happy?" Maybe because I have problems.
[06:24] And as far as, like, behavior. always stressed-- what is he gonna touch, These families had tried conventional methods
[06:37] But they were about to find out using an accessory-assisted placebo, This groundbreaking study of the power of suggestion
[06:53] and action is the brainchild of pioneering researchers We study a whole bunch of different mind-body hypnosis, placebo effects.
[07:06] that's a topic that we study. And the device that we are using Tell me about the scanner.
[07:19] we stack so many different layers of deception. done at the neurological institute. scientific-looking equipment.
[07:34] they've already in their mind They really believe that what we're doing is real. they're not immune to the power of neuroenchantment.
[07:48] -What does that mean? -So, it's this idea There is immense power that is attached whereby neuroscientific props and accessories
[08:03] more physiological effects, I mean, the same kind of cultural cognitive mechanisms So, here we are praying to the gods of neuroscience
[08:18] Talk to me about the ethics of lying. We tell them at first that everything that they see We explain to them that suggestion is a way to tap
[08:33] 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.
[08:45] But for the study to work, the children So, before they visited the lab, to help raise their expectations.
[08:59] Today, we have a huge surprise for you Oh, I know them. that teaches kids' brais
[09:11] We really hope that you get the chance in person you can focus better, be more confident. to have this awesome experience,
[09:25] -I'm going to have it? -Yeah. allows you to do that makes you better at? I wanna heal faster,
[09:41] I hope it heals me up with my concussions I was about to take part in something remarkable,
[09:53] on children with these kinds of symptoms. Mind Field would play an integral role in the study. new and significant for science
[10:10] several measures were put in place -Nathan. -Nathan, Nathan. a walk down a long, impressive hallway...
[10:27] building wait outside the lab. Shall we? this was Dr. Veissiere
[10:42] testing their theory on real children You may lie down if you'd like. the children's belief that it would work.
[10:57] As you go into the machine, you'll relax more and more. -Uh, I can go in quickly. -Oh, wow, nice. was completely deactivated,
[11:13] -it was fully functional.  -[machine beeps] to signify that the machine was working, that it would help the patient heal.
[11:27] You might notice some unusual feelings, Your brain is continuing to learn, this constant feeling of confidence.
[11:42] would convince the children's conscious minds Take a deep, deep breath. to harness the power of their brains
[11:57] For people with migraines, it's often in the front like outside the head. So, we'll now slide you in.
[12:11] The deeper you go in, the more you'll relax. [machine beeps]
[12:24] You might notice that deeper feeling Yes.
[12:37] Yes. have always had the ability The children just needed to believe it themselves.
[12:53] Yeah. So the beeps can sometimes make people sneeze as a sign of their relaxing just very deeply. You did very, very well, Nathan.
[13:08] and the researchers and I did our best So when you heard the first set of beeps and the second set of beeps, Well, the first time I went in the machine,
[13:23] -Okay. Good. -What level was she taken to today? -Uh-hmm. -Yeah. Okay. That's very good. That's a very good sign.
[13:39] You might have noticed how you were yawning. Nathan was already appearing calmer. Dr. Veissiere bolstered the suggestion
[13:55] continue their healing process. that you're gonna be more relaxed, if the scratching really diminished
[14:08] The amazing thing about the brain But now what we've been able to do here is to get your brain to work faster
[14:21] -Amazing. -Oh, nice. with Octopus by JOY smart watches. to remind the children in between visits
[14:38] [Dr. Veissiere] Just having the watch with you But it's not the watch or it's not the machine it's your own brain.
[14:50] to check in on their progress. [dramatic music playing]
[15:02] what McGill University's first sham brain scanner looked like. But the patients didn't know that. were told that it was able to reduce pain,
[15:17] and produce various other impressive effects. shows even more promise. on a whole new group of adult subjects.
[15:36] These college students are fully aware Could even they be neuroenchanted enough that an MRI scanner could read their thoughts?
[15:52] Yes. It's part of the neural activation mapping project. So, uh, it's a modified one, it's called the CTMSF MRI. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,
[16:07] -and influence thoughts. -All right. Okay. -Okay. -[Jay] And then from looking at your, -which number you're thinking. -Hmm, interesting.
[16:22] Most adults know the basics about MRIs, In the scanner, the magnetism is a lot less. So, that said, we do have to remove the metal glasses.
[16:37] but completely unnecessary step, it was time to begin our fake mind-reading experiment.
[16:50] So, try to stay very still. but we were conditioning our subjects and sounds of a real MRI study.
[17:03] Okay. Think of the number one. while the machine supposedly Dr. Veissiere and I remained in character
[17:20] the subject's brain activity. were actually old MRI scans from former patients. With our subject now primed,
[17:34] she was thinking of by reading her mind. Then you'll hear a second beep. -Okay? -Got it.
[17:49] -So I'll slide you in. -Mm-hmm. [machine beeps] -it out and then we'll see. -Okay.
[18:05] We pretended to give Jay but actually Jay was about to add the subject's number Okay. So you can stay lying down just for a second.
[18:20] So if you can sit up here. [Jay] But it's pretty close, but it swapped, huh? That miss was actually intentional
[18:33] adding to the realism. The same thing, okay? Slide you in. Would the scanner get it right this time?
[18:50] [Jay] All right. They think the signal is clear. Uh, 27, did you say? Yes. Oh, wow. What?
[19:05] Crazy. And the technician thought 27 as well. How does that feel?
[19:19] -Yeah. -Um, a lot of different areas What do you know, it worked. or rather the skills of Jay,
[19:33] happens to be a professional magician on the side. the mind-reading illusion
[19:45] that have entertained audiences for over a century. see the stunt performed in a magic setting, not real science.
[19:58] -The machine had 89. -[laughs] That's cool. of the Raz Lab, these subjects thought -[Jay] Right here. -Oh, my God.
[20:11] -they were experiencing...  -It's pretty cool. A dose of neuroenchantment this powerful
[20:23] and effective placebo. -Sure. -What was your experience? -tingling through my head. -Up where?
[20:36] like, this whole area felt more like full. a pressure or something like that. -Like, back here a little bit. -In the back?
[20:48] Somewhere in the back of the head? Interesting. I wanna hear what it felt like I think I was probably skeptical,
[21:03] figure out as I was thinking, like, why-- and so, I'm just, I think, in a baffled state. this baffling mystery.
[21:16] Dr. Olsen is, uh, not reading your mind. -This machine is deactivated. -How? Okay. It was an illusion? Oh, my God.
[21:33] Dr. Olsen is, uh, not reading your mind. are not magnets, it's just from a speaker. -it's not working. -Wow, it's like placebo?
[21:47] Now imagine tapping into this power for other effects I definitely believe ♪
[22:04] even works on animals. found that 86% of dogs had a reduction in seizures.
[22:17] But almost as many, a full 79%, And we don't know how a placebo affects a dog's brain, vet visits and medicine from humans
[22:33] could help a dog's brain heal itself. And of course, you're total pro at this.
[22:48] in the sham scanner at McGill University. as we keep unleashing this healing energy. that through concentration and relaxation,
[23:03] Here we go. of receiving the placebo sessions, it was time to get a report on the results.
[23:15] and a compulsive skin picking disorder. Had she experienced any level of success? You're wearing, like, not even--
[23:28] You've just got a tank top on. And your face-- I mean, all of it. -I'm guessing it's the machine. -Yeah, what about it?
[23:42] Uh, I'm not really sure how it works, Sometimes if I see, like, a tiny flake, That's a pretty short amount of time
[23:54] That's awesome. as much as I did before. Yeah, that definitely feels like and sounds like
[24:07] [Malaya] It's obviously doing something Holding your head up higher. She seems less anxious.
[24:21] -I was hoping for this... -It's wonderful to see. Yeah. Well, good work. And as for Nicholas and his migraine headaches...
[24:33] Tell me about the procedure and how you felt afterwards. and, I haven't had a migraine at all. And concentration is a big thing that helped.
[24:48] -For sure. -So these go back to February? And you can see not good, lots going on. -That's incredible. -Yeah.
[25:02] They thought it was quite remarkable. he hasn't need the preventer, I'm actually really excited for high school.
[25:16] their improvements to the sham scanner. and indeed, it did. and impulse control disorder,
[25:29] Well, I received a home video from Nathan's mother So, um, the best part about going through the treatment We noticed a difference in Nathan
[25:44] -I slept. -Yeah. He slept. Something he doesn't do very often during the day. Um, he was refreshed. It was just incredible to see.
[25:57] we had him off the medicine, we were able to talk things out, So overall, we're very pleased and, you know,
[26:12] so thank you very much. and a powerful sign of how effective suggestions, In time, the kids will understand how all of the power
[26:29] was within them, and not in the scanner. Correct. We also think of this So much more of the public will see what's being done.
[26:44] Yes. Science isn't just about publishing a paper that nobody reads. you're already a co-author Wow, very cool. Thank you.
[27:03] by the placebo effect, The parents knew the machine was deactivated, that it had the power to put a suggestion
[27:18] that ultimately came from themselves. and their lack of intrinsic power, No.
[27:32] learn that their treatment was a placebo, What the subjects have learned remains with them.
[27:45] I think this is Mind Field  at its best, with their work and helping the public Placebos can't fix everything,
[28:00] to start healing. was the power of suggestion. And as always, thanks for watching.
[28:13] [theme music playing]