Botulinum Toxin and its Effect on Depression
Ulas Guvenc11Speciality of Dermatology, Private Clinic, Mersin, Türkiye
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between depression in patients who regularly undergo botulinum toxin (BoNT) treatment. Methods: This is a retrospective, single center, observational study. For the individual information form of the study, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were filled up by the participants, in addition to data on their age and gender. Patients who had undergone BoNT treatment for aesthetic purposes on the upper face at least once a year for the last 5 years were compared with those who had never undergone BoNT treatment. Results: The study group consisted of 50 male and 50 female patients. When the mean ages of patients who had undergone BoNT and those who had not were analyzed, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups (p=0.871). It was determined that the BDI and BAI of those who had regular BoNT were lower than those who had never undergone BoNT. Conclusion: The mechanism of action of BoNT on depression is not fully known, it is considered that BoNT injection in the upper facial area, mainly when performed by experienced specialists, may constitute a new approach to treating depression. Keywords: Beck depression inventory, Beck anxiety inventory, botulinum toxin, depression
Cite This Article
Guvenc U. Botulinum Toxin and its Effect on Depression. EJMI. 2023; 7(4): 477-481
Corresponding Author: Ulas Guvenc