Botox for Depression: Dermatologist Eric Finzi, MD, PhD and psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal, MD have been researching the direct feedback mechanism between the facial frown muscles and the depression center of the brain. In theory, if you can prevent the negative signals from happening when someone frowns the brain may interpret this as meaning that things are better. The results of the largest study “Treatment of depression with onabotulinumtoxinA: A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial” was published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, Volume 52 (May 2014). Finzi and Rosenthal found that 52% of subjects suffering from moderate to severe depression showed relief from depression after injection of Botox to the glabellar area between the eyes, compared with only 15% of those who received the saline placebo.

Both Dr’s Reddy and Raczynski have been trained on Botox administration by dermatologist Eric Finzi, MD, PhD. We now believe this to be an augmenting agent to more traditional treatments such as antidepressants and psychotherapy.