Treatment Approaches for Altered Facial Expression: A Systematic Review in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy and Other Neurological Diseases.

Background: Facial weakness is a key feature of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and may lead to altered facial expression and subsequent psychosocial impairment. There is no cure and supportive treatments focus on optimizing physical fitness and compensation of functional disabilities.

Objective: We hypothesize that symptomatic treatment options and psychosocial interventions for other neurological diseases with altered facial expression could be applicable to FSHD.

Psychosocial functioning in patients with altered facial expression: a scoping review in five neurological diseases.

Purpose: To perform a scoping review to investigate the psychosocial impact of having an altered facial expression in five neurological diseases.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed. Studies were on Bell's palsy, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), Moebius syndrome, myotonic dystrophy type 1, or Parkinson's disease patients; had a focus on altered facial expression; and had any form of psychosocial outcome measure.