Facial expression perception: an objective outcome measure for treatment studies in mood disorders?

Facial expressions are important cues used in social communication. Studies in both patients with mood disorders and healthy volunteers have shown that facial expression perception can vary according to current mood state. Interpretation or perception of facial expressions can also be altered by administration of certain psychopharmacological agents. Novel drug development at present is restricted by the lack of valid and sensitive markers of mood state. This review suggests that measurement of facial expression perception may prove to be a useful experimental tool for assessing efficacy of antidepressant treatments.