Recently published studies have shown that Botox not only disables the nerve endings and helps with depression. “Kommersant Style” finds out details.News of the week, surprised the medical community Botox can do much more than temporarily affect our ability to show emotion, namely, to adjust the way that we feel. According to the world health organization, more than 264 million people worldwide suffer from depression. As it turned out, the usual treatment of such conditions is inefficient for almost 1/3 of the people which led to the search for alternative methods, among which was Botox. Recall that this is a drug made from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and it works by weakening or paralyzing certain muscles or blocking nerve endings.How and at what time treatment injections can help with depression, is still unclear, but researchers believe that Botox can break the “feedback loop” between the so-called wrinkles of anger and sorrow in the brow area and the inner state of a person. That’s why a gradual relaxation of the muscles relaxes and the human psyche — this kind of practice are an accepted method of treatment in psychotherapy. In turn, depression is associated with increased muscle tone, therefore a decrease Botox injections that weaken the muscles that can counteract depression. We are talking about the destruction of the so-called muscle memory, when we disable the Botox the very visible effects of stress and accustom the body to live without these manifestations.”As it turned out, the effect does not depend on the injection site, said Ruben Abagyan, the study’s lead author and Professor of the School of pharmacy and pharmaceutical Sciences name of Scaggs at the University of California in San Diego in an interview for CNN.— The consequences of this is amazing because this means that depression can be cured optionally by injection in one of the facial muscles, which in some cases may be undesirable”. Botox injections for muscle spasms can go beyond the site of injection and affect the opposing muscle groups and reflexes by altering activity of the nervous system. “Part of that reaches the systemic distribution through the bloodstream… and then somehow enters the brain and may affect different systems of the body, which may be associated with depression,” says Abagyan. Nevertheless, our specialists are still wary of these studies. “The data given Saggs School of Pharmacy and the University of San Diego is not based on direct clinical observations, and treatment statistics obtained through other research, says plastic surgeon Andrew iskornev.— I do not claiminclude that there is a connection between the decrease in the number of depressive episodes in patients using Botox to rejuvenate, but it requires a more marginal research mechanism. Indeed, I often observe improved mood and confidence of patients in whom we performed the certain cosmetic procedures. All the recent reports, Botox does not penetrate into the body systemically, it remains at the injection site for some time, impairs nerve impulse conduction to the muscle, and then destroyed. So talking about the impact of it on areas of the brain responsible for mood, very premature. Need more time to find the link between Botox and depression, or to deny it, saying only improve the mood of a cosmetic result.”And yet, if Botox is officially recognized as an antidepressant, it will be a kind of mini-revolution. Even the most ardent supporters of natural aging will cease to use its name as a common noun, and psychotherapists will prescribe it instead of anti-anxiety pills. Irina Kirienko
