Use of rotigotine for treating and preventing Parkinson's plus syndrome

1. A method for treatment of a Parkinson's plus syndrome in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a compound selected from the group consisting of rotigotine, a physiologically acceptable salt of rotigotine, and a rotigotine prodrug, wherein the compound is administered to provide a rotigotine dosage of 0.05 mg to approximately 50 mg per day.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the Parkinson's plus syndrome is selected from the group consisting of a multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, diffuse dementia with Lewy bodies, and a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient fails to respond to L-dopa treatment.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is administered orally, parenterally, transdermally or transmucosally.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound provides an extensively constant plasma level of rotigotine in the plasma of the patient over an application interval.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the compound is administered transdermally.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is administered to provide a plasma level of rotigotine between 0.01 and 50 ng/mL.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the rotigotine achieves a steady-state plasma level.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is administered to provide a plasma level of rotigotine between 0.05 and 20 ng/mL.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is administered to provide a plasma level of rotigotine between 0.1 and 10 ng/mL.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein rotigotine is administered in the form of a prodrug that is an ether, ester, thiocarbonyl ester, carbamate, thiocarbamate, carbonate, acetal, ketal, acyloxy alkyl ether, oxythiocarbonyl ester, phosphate, phosphonate, sulfate, sulfonate or silylether of rotigotine.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the prodrug is a C 1-6 alkyl carbonyl ester of rotigotine.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is rotigotine hydrochloride.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising administering at least one further active agent effective for treatment of the Parkinson's plus syndrome, wherein the at least one further active agent is selected from the group consisting of an antiapoptotic substance, a neurotrophin, and a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the compound and the at least one further active substance are separate and are administered to the patient simultaneously.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the compound and the at least one further active substance are separate and are administered to the patient in a temporally graduated manner.

17. A method for treatment of a Parkinson's plus syndrome in a patient, comprising administering to the patient a compound selected from the group consisting of rotigotine, a physiologically acceptable salt of rotigotine, and a rotigotine prodrug, wherein the compound is administered to provide a plasma level of rotigotine between 0.01 and 50 ng/mL.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the Parkinson's plus syndrome is selected from the group consisting of a multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, diffuse dementia with Lewy bodies, and a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the patient fails to respond to L-dopa treatment.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the compound is administered orally, parenterally, transdermally or transmucosally.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the compound provides an extensively constant plasma level of rotigotine in the plasma of the patient over an application interval.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the compound is administered transdermally.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein the rotigotine achieves a steady-state plasma level.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein the compound is administered to provide a plasma level of rotigotine between 0.05 and 20 ng/mL.

25. The method of claim 17 , wherein the compound is administered to provide a plasma level of rotigotine between 0.1 and 10 ng/mL.

26. The method of claim 17 , wherein rotigotine is administered in the form of a prodrug that is an ether, ester, thiocarbonyl ester, carbamate, thiocarbamate, carbonate, acetal, ketal, acyloxy alkyl ether, oxythiocarbonyl ester, phosphate, phosphonate, sulfate, sulfonate or silylether of rotigotine.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein the prodrug is a C 1-6 alkyl carbonyl ester of rotigotine.

28. The method of claim 17 , wherein the compound is rotigotine hydrochloride.

29. The method of claim 17 , further comprising administering at least one further active agent effective for treatment of the Parkinson's plus syndrome, wherein the at least one further active agent is selected from the group consisting of an antiapoptotic substance, a neurotrophin, and a combination thereof.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the compound and the at least one further active substance are separate and are administered to the patient simultaneously.

31. The method of claim 27 , wherein the compound and the at least one further active substance are separate and are administered to the patient in a temporally graduated manner.