Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: VietNamNet - Study shows Botox may move from face to brain

Sunday, April 6, 2008

VietNamNet - Study shows Botox may move from face to brain

VietNamNet - Study shows Botox may move from face to brain
Researchers have found that botulinum neurotoxin type A, which is more commonly known as Botox, the popular wrinkle eraser, can migrate into the central nervous system after it’s injected into the skin, according to latest issue of The Journal of Neuroscience available on Friday.
The discovery by Italian researchers has raised new concerns about how the toxin works and what unintended consequences it may have.
The botulinum toxin cuts off communication between nerve cells by destroying a protein named SNAP-25. The disruption paralyzes the muscles controlled by the nerve cells. These paralyzing properties allow doctors to treat some diseases such as strabismus(or "crossed" eyes). Plastic surgeons also use small doses to paralyze facial muscles, thereby making lines and wrinkles less visible.
A team of Italian researchers were evaluating another potential use of the toxin: treating epilepsy. But when studying its effects on epileptic mice, they noticed evidence of the toxin on both sides of the animals’ brains, even though they had injected it on only one side.
Using doses analogous to those prescribed in humans, researchers then injected botulinum into the eyes, whisker pads, and brains of normal mice and rats. They traced the toxin’s wreckage -- the cleaved SNAP-25 -- to see where and how it moved through the nervous system.
In the case of botulinum type A, the kind used in Botox, they found that wreckage along nerves originating from the injection site and in neighboring nerves. The toxin even reached part of the brain stem.
"A significant portion of the toxin is active where it’s not intended to be," said Matteo Caleo, the lead researcher.
The experiment is the first to show that botulinum migrates.
However, Christopher von Bartheld, a neuroscientist from University of Nevada, said there’s no need for alarm. "Botox has been used for more than 25 years with very few complications, unless you overdose."
He added that the toxin’s ability to spread might have an upside, allowing doctors to treat brain-based disorders such as epilepsy.

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.