A THERAPEUTICALLY EFFECTIVE AMOUNT OF DEFERIPRONE OR DEFERASIROX OR PHYSIOLOGICALLY ACCEPTABLE SALTS THEREOF FOR THE PREVENTION, STABILIZATION, TREATMENT, OR REVERSAL OF IRON-INDUCED FRDA DISEASE IN PATIENTS RESULTING FROM MITOCHONDRIAL IRON-INDUCED DAMAGE TO PREFERENTIALLY REDUCE THE IRON STORES IN THE MITOCHONDRIA. ALSO FOR THE TREATMENT OF OTHER CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE BRAIN WHERE A KEY ELEMENT IN THE GENERATION OF THE RESULTANT PATHOLOGY IS THE INTRACELLULAR MISHANDLING OF IRON.