Method of treating depression
View Patent ↗Methods are disclosed herein for treating depression in the subject. A method includes the use of Botulinum toxin to cause paralysis of a facial muscle, such as the depressor anguli oris, procerus, frontalis, orbicularis oculi, or corrugator supercilii muscle to treat depression in the subject.
1. A method for treating depression or an anxiety disorder in a subject, comprising:
administering a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a botulinum toxin to one or more facial muscle involved in frowning, scowling or a sad appearance; wherein the therapeutically effective amount is an amount sufficient to cause paralysis of the one or more facial muscle;
thereby treating depression or an anxiety disorder in the subject.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more facial muscle involved in frowning, scowling or a sad appearance is selected from the group consisting of frontalis , orbicularis oculi, procerus, corrugator supercilii, and depressor anguli oris muscle.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more facial muscle is a frontalis muscle, an orbicularis oculi muscle, or a procerus muscle.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more facial muscle is a corrugator supercilii muscle, or a procerus muscle.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the botulinum toxin in the composition is selected from the group consisting of the botulinum toxins types A, B, C 1 , D, E, F and G.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the botulinum toxin in the composition is botulinum toxin A.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the therapeutically effective amount is about 5-60 Unit equivalents of a botulinum toxin type A.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising administering a second composition comprising an additional therapeutically effective amount of the botulinum toxin type A to the one or more facial muscle after about two to six months.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an additional modality of treatment for depression.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the additional modality of treatment comprises administration of an antidepressant, psychotherapy, or a physical treatment for depression.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the additional modality of treatment comprises a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.