Botulinum toxin against depression: a new study

Botulinum toxin is one of the most important preparations both for the correction and prevention of aesthetic defects, and for the treatment of many somatic diseases. A study published in Scientific Reports on the safety of botulinum toxin found a significant association between its use and antidepressant effect, regardless from the indications and the area of ​​injection. The extent and mechanism of the antidepressant action of botulinum toxin is unclear and hypothetically related to proprioceptive feedback from facial muscles. Understanding estet-< In what circumstances did the antidepressant effect of botulinum toxin manifest itself Summarizing: probable mechanisms of the antidepressant

• effect of botulinum toxin
• In what circumstances did the antidepressant effect of botulinum toxin manifest itself Previous studies have shown that botulinum toxin injections are associated with an antidepressant effect when injected into the brow area. Now the goal of the scientists was to analyze the dependence of the antidepressant effect on the indications and the injection site. Overall, the investigators analyzed
eight groups of patients

, depending on the indication for botulinum toxin use:

cosmetic

use,

migraine, spasms, and spasticity, not affecting the facial muscles,

neurological

bladderdisorders, torticollis, hyperhidrosis , blepharospasm and sialorrhea. Follow us on Instagram! Each group was compared to a control group from the FAERS database (FDA Adverse

Event Reporting

System) who had different treatments for the same indications. Botulinum toxin: treatment of pathological scars and rosacea Reports in which patients were taking antidepressants or depression was listed as an indication were not included in the study. In almost all treatment groups, reports of depression and depression-related side effects were significantly lower among those who received botulinum toxin compared with the control group.

Depression reported decreased in patients who received injections in

facial muscles for cosmetic purposes

, in

head muscles for migraine relief

, in

neck muscles

for torticollis and pain in the neck,

eyelid muscles for blepharospasm, and armpits and palms for excessive sweating. Clinical applications of botulinum toxin in cosmetology: on-label and off-label There were no reports of depression or depression-related adverse events among those who received botulinum toxin for sialorrhea, including injections into the parotid and submandibular glands. There were fewer reports of depression among those who received detrusor injections for neurological bladder disorders, but the results in both groups were not statistically significant, according to

researchers.

Summarizing: Possible Mechanisms of the Antidepressant Effect of Botulinum Toxin

Ruben Abagyan, Ph.D., co-author of the study and professor at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, noted that it can be concluded from the study that

botulinum toxin may have effects that go beyond local action. It is possible that depression is actualized by a number of somatic symptoms, for example, pain in the body, insomnia, sweating. By eliminating the somatic symptoms, the correlated mood dysregulation can also be eliminated. Neurotoxin administration for spasticity, excessive sweating, migraine, neurological disorders of the bladder, blepharospasm, excessive salivation and salivation can lead to a reduced risk of depression and improved systemic neurological effects. In their article, the authors proposed several probable mechanisms of the antidepressant action of botulinum toxin

, including

transneuronal transport

to those areas of the central nervous system that regulate

mood and emotions, muscle stress memory

.

 

The study showed that the full range of properties and functions of botulinum toxin is not yet known.

Antidepressive effect

of neurotoxin – this is a new physiological mechanism that can reduce the development of depression. The use of botulinum toxin as an antidepressant requires further study. In the future, this method of therapy may become the main one for patients who do not respond well to traditional antidepressants.

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