Psychology Archives
October 22, 2026
Lukas Andreas Basedow, Andreas Reis, Irina Falkenberg et al.
Background: Shame is a component that contributes to psychopathology yet few interventions target it directly. Psychedelic-assisted therapy has been investigated as an intervention targeting shame and its associated burden. As part of psychedelic efficacy is mediated by expectation effects the true effect a psychedelic intervention may provide is unknown. Here we examined whether a psychedelic...
Psychology Archives
September 16, 2026
Lukas A Basedow, Andreas Reis, Irina Falkenberg et al.
The intensity of altered states of consciousness (ASC) induced by a psychedelic represents a key mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT). However, growing evidence suggests that expectations may contribute significantly to therapeutic effects of PAT. The present study examined whether a psychedelic placebo could induce an ASC in a PAT- analogous...
May 16, 2025
Lukas A Basedow, Lynn Lottes, Irina Falkenberg et al.
1 citation
preprint
Background: Despite significant advancements in the treatment of depression, challenges such as inadequate response rates and high placebo effects highlight the need for improved therapies and a deeper understanding of treatment expectations. Patient expectations play a crucial role in treatment outcomes but have not been systematically investigated in the context of novel interventions like...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
2024
Alexandros Matsingos, Marcel Wilhelm, Laila Noor et al.
18 citations
Ketamine and esketamine offer a novel approach in the pharmacological treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the placebo response in double-blind, randomized controlled studies (RCTs) on patients with MDD receiving ketamine or esketamine. For this systematic review and meta-analysis Medline (PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials...
Trials
August 13, 2023
Irina Falkenberg, Florian Bitsch, Wei Liu et al.
4 citations
Abstract Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent (8–15%), severely disabling disorder and is associated with enormous socioeconomic impact. Antidepressant medication for the treatment of MDD has proven effective in RCTs; however, placebo response is also substantial. Given the potential benefits of modulating the placebo response in patient care and pharmacological...