Medical Applications of Botulinum Toxin: Spasticity

Abstract

Botulinum toxin is the most powerful toxin ever known. Its huge potential has been used in the last decades to treat some pathologies that attend with acetylcholine’s metabolic disturbances. Botulinum toxin effects are not indefinite in time, so it must be applied several times (usually twice a year), thanks to the changes produced by this toxin the rehabilitation of infantile spasticity are easier (the greatest results are seen on abductor muscles, calves, etc.) and on ocular muscles to treat squint. It is also used in some muscle alterations, pathologies of the autonomic nervous system, painful syndromes. The life quality of children with cerebral palsy is improving thanks to this toxin.