Expectation-induced placebo effect on acute sadness in women with major depression: An experimental investigation

Meta-analyses demonstrate that placebo effects play an important role in antidepressant treatment. Expectations seem to constitute a highly relevant placebo mechanism in this context. This study investigated whether an expectation manipulation combined with the intake of an active placebo could reduce acute sadness in depressed participants following a sadness-inducing mood manipulation. Women who suffered from a major depressive episode (N =...