[Botulinum toxin for the treatment of major depressive disorder]. / Botulinumtoxin bei der Behandlung depressiver Störungen.

OBJECTIVE: Botulinum toxin (BTX) plays an important role in the treatment and prophylaxis of migraine and is also used for the treatment of focal dystonia, spasm, hypersalivation, and hyperhydrosis. Recent clinical trials suggest that BTX treatment of muscles involved in the development of negative emotions may also have an antidepressant effect. This article gives a systematic review of the literature regarding BTX in the treatment of major depression. METHODS: We screened the databases of Medline and Scopus using the search terms [("botulinum toxin" OR "botox") AND ("antidepressant" OR "depression" OR "depressed")]. The website www.clinicaltrials.gov was screened with the same search terms in order to detect current studies. RESULTS: As of April 2013, we identified 3 studies that evaluated the antidepressant effects of BTX in the treatment of major depression. An improvement in mood after treatment with BTX was seen in a case series of 10 depressed patients. In a randomised, placebo-controlled study of thirty patients assigned to a verum (BTX, n = 15) or placebo (saline, n = 15) group, treatment with BTX has also shown a positive effect on mood. Another prospective, open-label study evaluated the antidepressive effect of BTX in 25 subjects with major depression. On www.clinicaltrials.gov we identified 2 ongoing studies, which are currently investigating the antidepressant effect of BTX. CONCLUSION: Recently published studies have shown a reduction of depressive symptoms after treatment of the glabellar frown lines with BTX injections. Further clinical studies in larger patient samples are necessary to prove the efficacy and safety of BTX injections used for the treatment of depressive disorders.

[Liquid ecstasy in general psychiatry: a case series]. / Liquid ecstasy in der allgemeinpsychiatrie: eine fallserie.

BACKGROUND: In emergency medicine and anesthaesiology liquid ecstasy (LE), the street name for GHB, GBL or 1,4-B, has become infamous for causing severe intoxications and withdrawal. In general psychiatry, however, it is little known. Therefore, we set out to gather data about the role of LE in general psychiatry, typical users and common clinical problems associated with the use of LE. METHODS: We retrospectively identified and studied all patients with a reported the use of LE seen at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Germany, between 1998 and 2011. RESULTS: In 14 years, 19 users of LE were identified, the first dating from 2005. The majority reported a use of GBL (63 %), GHB was less common, and 1,4-B was not reported. Patients were predominantly young men (median age 25 years, 79 % men) with a history of multiple substance abuse. Ten patients had only a former use of LE, the other nine patients used it at the time of presentation. Of these, every third patient had to be transiently treated in an intermediate care unit, usually because of very severe and sudden withdrawal symptoms. Otherwise, detoxification was possible in psychiatry, but often required high doses of benzodiazepines. Three patients met the criteria for dependence from GBL. CONCLUSIONS: In recent years, a small number of users of LE is seen also in general psychiatry, The problem is rather the severity of withdrawal than the number of cases. Close cooperation with intermediate care units is needed. In any case of coma of unknown origin or delirium with sudden onset LE use or withdrawal has to be taken into consideration, respectively. Many clinical problems result from the fact that LE cannot be detected in routine drug screenings. According to our experience, withdrawal from LE can be controlled with benzodiazepines.