Treatment of Parkinson's disease with agents other than levodopa and dopamine agonists: controversies and new approaches.

Parkinson's disease is associated with a variety of neurotransmitter disturbances which may be further altered by its treatment with dopamine agonists. Based on this information a wide range of pharmacological approaches have been used in search of newer treatment alternatives and in hopes of reducing complications of long-term levodopa use. This paper reviews the various therapies which have had some success in the management of Parkinson's disease, other than levodopa and dopamine agonists. Special emphasis is placed on the many unresolved questions and controversies that exist in this area of neuropharmacology.