ArticleBrain and behavior2021
The safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin A on the treatment of depression.
Article in Brain and behavior, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Botulinum Toxin Injections for Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Trial Landscape.Toxins · 2024Pooled it
- Efficacy of botulinum toxin type A in myogenic temporomandibulardisorders: a single arm, prospective, pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2025Trial
- The complement C3-microglial axis in depression of Parkinson's disease: from mechanism to therapeutic intervention.EBioMedicine · 2026Article
- Botulinum Toxin: An Unconventional Tool for the Treatment of Depression?Brain sciences · 2025Review
- The Face of Emotion: Botulinum Toxin, Emotional Anatomy, and Mood Modulation.Journal of cosmetic dermatology · 2025Review
- The Esthetic Use of Botulinum Toxins in Cancer Patients: Providing a Foundation for Future Indications.Toxins · 2025Review
- The impact of chronic stress on cortical thickness in patients with depression.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Microbiota Alters and Its Correlation with Molecular Regulation Underlying Depression in PCOS Patients.Molecular neurobiology · 2024Article
- A Critical View on New and Future Antidepressants.Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2024Review
- A novel approach to treating post-stroke depression: administration of Botulinum Toxin A via local facial injection.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Article
- The Mind Body Connection in Dermatologic Conditions: A Literature Review.Journal of cutaneous medicine and surgery · 2023Review
- Botulinum neurotoxin A ameliorates depressive-like behavior in a reserpine-induced Parkinson's disease mouse model via suppressing hippocampal microglial engulfment and neuroinflammation.Acta pharmacologica Sinica · 2023Article
- Treatment of Depression with Botulinum Toxin.Toxins · 2022Review
- Botulinum Neurotoxins in Central Nervous System: An Overview from Animal Models to Human Therapy.Toxins · 2021Review
- The safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin A on the treatment of depression.Brain and behavior · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesEffective strategy for the treatment of depression is limited. This study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of botulinum toxin A (BoNT/A) in the treatment of depression.
methodsSeventy-six patients were assigned to the BoNT/A group (n = 52) and sertraline control group (n = 24). For the BoNT/A group, BoNT/A was injected into the frowning muscle, depressor muscle, occipital frontalis muscle, lateral canthus, and bilateral temporal region at 20 sites. Five units per site and a total of 100 units of BoNT/A were given. Patients in the sertraline control group were medicated with sertraline 50-200 mg (114.58 ± 52.08 mg) per day. Depression was assessed by the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17), 14-item Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA-14), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). All participants were followed up for 12 weeks.
resultsScores of HAMD, HAMA, SDS, and SAS decreased significantly in both BoNT/A and sertraline groups after treatment for 12 weeks. Overall, there were no differences in decreased magnitude between the two groups (p > .05). The HAMA, SDS, and SAS results showed that the onset time of BoNT/A was earlier than that of sertraline. Side effects rates were 15.38% for BoNT/A and 33.33% for sertraline.
conclusionThis study demonstrated significant antidepressant effects of BoNT/A. The efficacy of BoNT/A was comparable with established antidepressant sertraline. The onset time of BoNT/A was earlier than sertraline, and the proportion of side effects was less than sertraline. Therefore, BoNT/A could be a safe and effective option for the treatment of depression.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.