Not Only Skin, Experts Say Botox Liquid Can Move Into The Central Nervous System After Injection

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JAKARTA - Several researchers have found that "botulinum neurotoxin" type A, better known as "botox", the well-known wrinkle remover, can move into the central nervous system after being injected into the skin, reported in the latest issue of The Journal of Neuroscience on Tuesday, July 11.

The findings by Italian researchers have raised new concerns about how the toxin works and what unintended consequences it might have.

"Botulinum toxin" breaks the connection between nerve cells by damaging a protein called SNAP-25. The disturbance paralyzes the muscles controlled by those nerve cells. The paralyzed object allows doctors to treat conditions such as "strabismus" (or crossed eyes).

Plastic surgery also uses low doses to paralyze facial muscles, making lines and wrinkles invisible. A team of Italian researchers investigated another potential use of the toxin: to treat epilepsy. But when studying its effects on mice with epilepsy, they found evidence of the toxin in both sides of the animals' brains, even though they had only injected it on one side.

Using doses that match those recommended for humans, the researchers then injected "botulinum" into the eyes, chins, and brains of normal mice. They tracked the toxin -- SNAP-25 dependent -- to see where and how it moved through the nervous system.

In the case of "botulinum" type A, the type used in botox, they found that the debris along the nerve originates from the injection site and in adjacent nerves. The toxin even reaches the base of the brain.

"An important part of the toxin is active where it is not intended for it," said Matteo Caleo, lead researcher of the study.

The experiment was the first to show that "botulinum" moves. However, Christopher von Bartheld, a neuroscientist from the University of Nevada, said people need not be afraid. Botox has been used for over 25 years with very few complications, unless you overdose.

He added that the toxin's ability to spread may have a positive side, allowing doctors to treat brain-centered diseases such as epilepsy.