Therapeutic uses of botulinum toxin: from facial palsy to autonomic disorders

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic uses of botulinum toxin have been expanding due to deeper knowledge of its molecular behaviour and different mechanisms of action. OBJECTIVE: To present suggested doses of Botox and Dysport for controlling the muscle hyperkinetic activity in facial palsy in the perioral area and to review other uses. METHODS: An extensive updated literature review on the success and limits of the botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) therapeutic treatments. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: BoNT can be considered to be the preferred single method for many disorders; it has substituted for some conventional surgical methods and it can be associated with other therapies to increase overall treatment performance. Depending on the disorder, the lack of permanent effect causes no major inconvenience.