Methods for preventing and treating motor-related neurological conditions

Abstract

Methods for preventing or treating motor-related neurological conditions include using ocular light therapy in connection with a conventional therapy for a motor-related neurological condition, such as a drug regimen, to adjust levels of melatonin and/or dopamine in the body of a subject. The ocular light therapy may include elevated levels of blue-green light or green light (e.g., light within a wavelength range of 460 nm to 570 nm, 490 nm to 570 nm, about 520 nm to 570 nm, etc.). The ocular light therapy may also include reduced levels of amber, orange and/or red light. Methods for diagnosing motor-related neurological conditions include use of ocular light therapy to cause a subject to temporarily exhibit one or more symptoms of any motor-related neurological condition to which the subject is predisposed, or which the subject may already be experiencing. A temporary increase in such symptoms may be effected by ocular administration of light including increased amounts of amber, orange and/or red light.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An ocular light therapy method, comprising:
 simultaneously administering above-ambient peaks of light to a subject, the above-ambient peaks of light having intensities that exceed intensities of corresponding peaks of ambient light in the following ranges:   a first above ambient peak of light in a blue-to-blue-green range of wavelengths of about 460 nm to about 520 nm; and   a second above ambient peak of light in a green range of wavelengths of above 520 nm to less than 540 nm   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein administering occurs for about one hour. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein administering occurs for about thirty minutes. 
     
     
         4 . The ocular light therapy method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 administering below-ambient light or no light in a range of wavelengths of more than 570 nm to 750 nm to the subject while simultaneously administering the above-ambient peaks of light to the subject.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein simultaneously administering the above-ambient peaks of light occurs in the evening. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein simultaneously administering the above-ambient peaks of light to the subject occurs a plurality of times throughout each day. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the above-ambient peaks of light occurs for a duration that reduces the at least one symptom of a motor-related neurological condition or a symptom of the motor-related neurological condition. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein simultaneously administering the above-ambient peaks of light to the subject occurs in conjunction with a drug therapy. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein simultaneously administering the above-ambient peaks of light to the subject occurs at a different time of day than the drug therapy is administered to the subject. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein simultaneously administering the above-ambient peaks of light to the subject and administering the drug therapy to the subject occur in accordance with a time-coordinated dosing schedule. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein administering the drug therapy to the subject occurs at a point in time from the morning to 5:30 p.m. and simultaneously administering the above-ambient peaks of light to the subject occurs in the evening. 
     
     
         12 . A method for addressing a motor-related neurological condition experienced by a subject, comprising:
 administering a course of ocular light therapy to a subject for a duration sufficient to stimulate a dopaminergic response in the subject to reduce symptoms of the motor-related neurological condition, the administering including simultaneously administering:
 a first above-ambient peak of light in a blue-to-blue-green range of wavelengths of about 460 nm to about 520 nm; and 
 a second above ambient peak of light in a green range of wavelengths of more than 520 nm to less than 540 nm. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 administering below-ambient light or no light in a range of wavelengths of more than 570 nm to 750 nm.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 administering a drug therapy to the subject.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein administering the course of ocular light therapy to the subject occurs at a different time of day than administering the drug therapy to the subject. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein administering the course of ocular light therapy to the subject and administering the drug therapy to the subject occur in accordance with a time-coordinated dosing schedule. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein administering the drug therapy to the subject occurs at a point in time from the morning to 5:30 p.m. and administering the course of ocular light therapy to the subject occurs in the evening. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein administering the course of ocular light therapy to the subject occurs between about 7:00 p.m. and about 10:00 p.m. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein administering the course of ocular light therapy to the subject reduces secondary symptoms of the motor-related neurological condition. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein administering the course of ocular light therapy to the subject reduces at least one of Alzheimer's disease, dementia, depressive pseudo dementia, hydrocephailic dementia, dementia associated with Parkinson's disease, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, a personality disorder, and an insomnia disorder.