Placebo Effects in the Treatment of Depression-Implications for the Psychedelic Renaissance.

Abstract

The development of novel, rapid-acting treatments and the resurgence of interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelic-like compounds has stimulated excitement and enthusiasm within the pharmaceutical industry, and provided new hope for millions of individuals suffering with mental illness such as major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. This review summarizes the scope and mechanisms of placebo related effects in depression treatment trials, with a particular focus on their implications for psychedelic-like compounds. We examine how expectancy, therapeutic setting, and trial design interact to shape outcomes and consider emerging approaches for mitigating, measuring, or even harnessing placebo-effects in future research.

Topics & conditions

Detected automatically by Psychedelic Commons from the title and abstract, not labels from the source. They may be incomplete.

Keywords