Spasmodic dysphonia. Emotional status and botulinum toxin treatment.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of botulinum toxin injection on measures of depression, anxiety, and somatic complaints in patients diagnosed as having spasmodic dysphonia. Patients were asked to complete preinjection questionnaires with self-ratings of depression, state and trait anxiety, and somatic complaints. Approximately 1 week and 2 months following injection, patients were again asked to complete the questionnaires. The spasmodic dysphonic subjects exhibited significantly elevated mean levels of depression and anxiety. These levels were significantly reduced approximately 1 week after injection. Two months later, depression and anxiety measures did not change significantly from their 1-week postinjection values. The results suggest that patients with spasmodic dysphonia who demonstrate significantly elevated measures of depression and anxiety show a reduction in those measures following treatment with botulinum toxin.