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Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Ole Isacson: Development of New Therapies for Parkinson's Disease
23:53

Ole Isacson: Development of New Therapies for Parkinson's Disease

Published on: April 29, 2007

Too many treatments for Parkinson's disease: how should they be used?

N C Reynolds1, L C Terry, L P Mark

  • 1Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.

WMJ : Official Publication of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin
|August 6, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Parkinson's disease treatments are evolving, with surgical ablation making a comeback alongside medications like L-DOPA. This review explores historical and modern medical and surgical options for Parkinson's disease management.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Parkinson's disease (PD) treatment historically shifted from surgical ablation to pharmacotherapy with Levodopa (L-DOPA) and dopamine agonists.
  • Advancements in drug development include novel agonists and enzyme inhibitors targeting specific receptor subtypes and effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a historical perspective on Parkinson's disease therapeutic options.
  • To propose a rationale for selecting current medical and surgical treatment strategies for Parkinson's disease.

Main Methods:

  • Review of historical and current literature on Parkinson's disease treatments.
  • Analysis of pharmacologic paradigms and stereotactic neurosurgical alternatives.
  • Synthesis of treatment goals considering both medical and surgical interventions.

Main Results:

  • Surgical ablation for Parkinson's disease was largely replaced by pharmacologic treatments.
  • Recent developments in drug therapies offer extended therapeutic windows.
  • There is a resurgence of interest in stereotactic neurosurgery as a viable treatment option.

Conclusions:

  • The management of Parkinson's disease is returning to a consideration of both surgical and medical interventions.
  • A comprehensive approach integrating historical insights and modern advancements is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes in Parkinson's disease.

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