What if botox was ultimately able to cure depression? This question was asked in a recent study. According to the results, botox could do more than erase the signs of aging.
According to an INSERM publication, one in five people has suffered or will suffer from depression during his life. However, current treatments are only 70% effective. Thus, other avenues of treatment are explored, such as infusions of ketamine and doses of psilocybin, the active ingredient of hallucinogenic mushrooms. In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports on July 30, 2020, Botox injections are discussed.
Botox (or botulinum toxin) is a toxin secreted by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum , responsible for botulism. It turns out that its neurotoxic properties make it one of the most powerful poisons . However, at low doses, we commonly use it for therapeutic or aesthetic use.
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (United States) nevertheless thinks that botox could act on depression. According to them, botox would be able to hinder a feedback loop between negative facial expressions in the glabellar region, i.e. behind the skin between the eyebrows and above the nose. However, the unknown concerns both the nature and the duration of such an effect. Moreover, the directors of the study indicate that this effect would have nothing to do with the injection site or other medical conditions. In other words, there would be no need for sometimes problematic injections in the facial muscles.
Botox could also penetrate the structures of the central nervous system. Remember that the role of the latter is to receive, record and interpret the signals coming from the periphery and to organize the response to be sent. A 2015 study mentioned botox injections in the treatment of muscle spasms. However, these injections can reach the central nervous system, modify neuronal activity and affect opposing muscle groups and reflexes.
Let's also mention that muscle tension (the maintenance of partial contraction of the muscles) in various parts of the body is also a symptom of depression. However, botox could contribute to a reduction of this muscle tension and thus reduce depression. Finally, the study in question explains that the side effects of botox would have been more or less ignored. Thus, more research is needed to better understand these effects and health risks.
