# Placebo effects beyond dopamine

## TL;DR

A new study challenges the belief that dopamine is essential for forming treatment expectations and placebo effects.

## Contribution

The study provides strong evidence against dopamine's causal role in placebo effects and treatment expectations.

## Key findings

- Dopamine may not be causally involved in forming treatment expectations.
- Placebo effects can occur independently of dopamine activity.
- The study challenges existing theories about dopamine's role in reward expectancy.

## Abstract

The role of dopamine in reward expectancy has led to the hypothesis that it is crucial for forming treatment expectations and placebo effects. However, a new study in PLOS Biology presents robust evidence against the causal role of dopamine in these processes.

The role of dopamine in reward expectancy has led to the hypothesis that it is crucial for forming treatment expectations and placebo effects. This Primer explores a new study in PLOS Biology that presents robust evidence against the causal role of dopamine in these processes.