title: Altered cortical activation from the hand after facial botulinum toxin treatment.
abstract: Plastic interactions between face and hand cortical tactile circuits occur after severe injuries that affect the hand such as in amputation or spinal cord injury. However, whether loss of facial movements alters the cortical circuits involved in processing tactile inputs from the hand remains unknown. In this prospective observational study we used electroencephalography (EEG) to measure cortical activity evoked by tactile stimulation of the hands before and after botulinum toxin-A-induced facial paralysis. We found a reduction in the tactile event-related potentials (ERPs) 6 weeks after the treatment. This suggests that the limited paralysis of facial muscles induced during cosmetic interventions designed to smooth lines and wrinkles on the face is sufficient to alter the cortical processing of tactile inputs from the hand.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haenzi
authors.affiliation: Translational Neuromodeling Unit, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich Switzerland ; Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, University of Zurich Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stefanics
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Zurich Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lanaras
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Zurich Switzerland.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calcagni
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroinformatics, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich Switzerland ; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich Switzerland.
authors.forename: Arko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghosh