Epilepsy treatment

Abstract

Methods for treating a movement disorder by intracranial administration to a human patient of a therapeutically effective amount of a neurotoxin, such as a botulinum toxin type A.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method for treating a movement disorder, the method comprising the step of intracranial administration of a neurotoxin to a patient, thereby alleviating a symptom of a movement disorder.  
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the neurotoxin is made by a bacterium selected from the group consisting of  Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium butyricum  and  Clostridium beratti.    
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the neurotoxin is a botulinum toxin.  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 3   , wherein the botulinum toxin is selected from the group consisting of botulinum toxin types A, B, C 1 , D, E, F and G.  
     
     
         5 . The method of    claim 3   , wherein the botulinum toxin is botulinum toxin type A.  
     
     
         6 . The method of    claim 3   , wherein the botulinum toxin is administered in an amount of between about 10 −3  U/kg and about 10 U/kg.  
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the symptom alleviating effect persists for between about 1 month and about 5 years.  
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the neurotoxin is administered to a lower brain region.  
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the neurotoxin is administered to a pontine region  
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the neurotoxin is administered a mesopontine region  
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the neurotoxin is administered to a globus pallidus.  
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 1    wherein the neurotoxin is administered to a thalamus.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the neurotoxin is a modified neurotoxin.  
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 13   , wherein the modified neurotoxin has at least one of its amino acids deleted, modified or replaced, as compared to a native neurotoxin.  
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 13   , wherein the modified neurotoxin is a recombinant produced neurotoxin or a derivative or fragment thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein the intracranial administration step comprises implantation of controlled release botulinum toxin system.  
     
     
         17 . A method for treating a movement disorder, the method comprising the step of intracranial administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a botulinum toxin to a patient, thereby treating a symptom of a movement disorder.  
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 17   , wherein the botulinum toxin is botulinum toxin type A  
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 17   , wherein the movement disorder is selected from the group consisting of Parkinson's disease, Huntington's Chorea, progressive supranuclear palsy, Wilson's disease, Tourettes syndrome, epilepsy, chronic tremor, tics , dystonias and spasticity.  
     
     
         20 . A method for treating Parkinson's disease, the method comprising the step of intracranial administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a botulinum toxin to a patient, thereby treating a movement disorder symptom of Parkinson's disease.  
     
     
         21 . The method of    claim 19   , wherein the botulinum toxin is botulinum toxin type A  
     
     
         22 . A method for treating a movement disorder, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) selecting a neurotoxin with tremor suppressant activity:    (b) choosing an intracranial target tissue which influences a movement disorder; and;    (c) intracranially administering to the target tissue a therapeutically effective amount of the neurotoxin selected, thereby treating the movement disorder.    
     
     
         23 . The method of    claim 22   , wherein the neurotoxin is a botulinum toxin.