More evidence that Botox relieves not only migraines, but also depression

A large study confirms previous reports of the beneficial effect of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injections on depression as well as anxiety. In my two previous blog posts from 2011 and 2014 I mentioned reports of cosmetic Botox injections relieving depression but those involved a relatively small number of patients.

A study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, & Psychiatry under the title Effects of onabotulinumtoxinA treatment for chronic migraine on common comorbidities including depression and anxiety ,described the COMPEL trial (Chronic Migraine OnabotulinumtoxinA Prolonged Efficacy Open-Label). It was a multicenter, open-label, prospective study assessing the long-term safety and efficacy of 155 units of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) over nine treatments (108 weeks) in adults with chronic migraines.

OnabotulinumtoxinA treatment was associated with sustained reduction in headache days and depression and anxiety scores in the 715 patients over 108 weeks. The anxiety and depression scores were significantly reduced at all time points in patients with clinically significant symptoms of depression and/or anxiety at baseline. By week 108, 78% and 82% had clinically meaningful improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Sleep quality and symptoms of fatigue also improved.

In an earlier poster presentation of this data at a scientific conference the authors reported that the improvement in anxiety and depression was seen even in patients whose migraines did not improve with Botox. Even if that were true, we need a separate large study of Botox for anxiety and depression. The one study that treated patients with major depression in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involved only 74 patients.

In my practice, I’ve treated one young woman with severe bipolar disorder which did not respond to multiple drugs and who had a dramatic response to Botox. She has been receiving injections for over two years with sustained improvement. Another young man with depression had a very significant response as well, but has had only one treatment so far. I came to treat them accidentally – both were adopted children of my migraine patient who read about this possible effect of Botox and asked me to try it.