SPASMODIC DYSPHONIA - EMOTIONAL STATUS AND BOTULINUM TOXIN TREATMENT

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of botulinu m toxin injection on measures of depression, anxiety, and somatic''com plaints in patients diagnosed as having spasmodic dysphonia. Patients were asked to complete preinjection questionnaires with self-ratings o f depression, state and trait anxiety, and somatic complaints. Approxi mately 1 week and 2 months following injection, patients were again as ked to complete the questionnaires. The spasmodic dysphonic subjects e xhibited significantly elevated mean levels of depression and anxiety. These levels were significantly reduced approximately 1 week after in jection. Two months later, depression and anxiety measures did not cha nge significantly from their 1-week postinjection values. The results suggest that patients with spasmodic dysphonia who demonstrate signifi cantly elevated measures of depression and anxiety show a reduction in those measures following treatment with botulinum toxin.