Systems and methods for selecting stimulation sites and applying treatment, including treatment of symptoms of Parkinson's disease, other movement disorders, and/or drug side effects

Abstract

Methods and systems for treating movement disorders are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment can include determining that the movement disorder affects the patient's gait, oral functioning, and/or other functioning, and applying electrical stimulation proximate to the interhemispheric fissure, the Sylvian fissure, or between the two fissures, respectively. In another embodiment, the method can include selecting at least one neural process from among a plurality of processes sequentially carried out by a patient to cause a muscle movement in the patient (e.g., a planning process, an initiation process, and an execution process), and applying electrical stimulation to a location of the patient's brain associated with the at least one neural process.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . A method for treating movement disorders, comprising: 
 determining that the movement disorder affects a patient's oral functioning; and    applying electrical stimulation to a region of the patient's brain that is proximate to the Sylvian fissure of the patient's brain.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying electrical stimulation includes at least reducing effects of the movement disorder on the patient's oral functioning.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying electrical stimulation includes applying electrical stimulation to a region of the patient's brain that is closer to the Sylvian fissure of the patient's brain than to the interhemispheric fissure of the patient's brain.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying electrical stimulation includes applying electrical stimulation at a first site located on a first side of the central sulcus of the patient's brain, and at a second site located on a second side of the central sulcus.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying electrical stimulation includes applying electrical stimulation at a first site and a second site, with both the first and second sites located on the same side of the central sulcus of the patient's brain.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising determining a hemisphere of the brain from which signals related to the patient's oral functioning are transmitted, and wherein applying electrical stimulation includes applying electrical stimulation to the opposite hemisphere.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying electrical stimulation includes applying unipolar electrical stimulation.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying stimulation includes applying bipolar stimulation.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying stimulation includes applying stimulation at multiple sites located within the region of the patient's brain.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying stimulation includes applying stimulation at a frequency of 0.5 Hz or above.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying stimulation includes applying stimulation with a frequency that varies in at least one of a random, pseudorandom and aperiodic manner.  
     
     
         29 - 67 . (canceled)