Table 1.
Advantages and disadvantages of the existing therapies for Parkinson’s disease
| Therapeutic option | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Medication (L-DOPA) | oral intake | drug-induced dyskinesia |
| less invasiveness | systemic side effects | |
| prompt effectiveness | long-term side effects | |
| Surgery | dramatic effect | invasiveness |
| selective target | undissolved mechanism | |
| prompt effectiveness | expensive medical care (DBS) | |
| Rehabilitation | safety | weak effect |
| low medical care | gradual effect | |
| improved mental state | required continuity |
DBS: deep brain stimulation. The general advantages and disadvantages of medication using L-DOPA, surgery including thalamotomy, pallidotomy and subthalamic nucleus (STN)-deep brain stimulation (DBS), and rehabilitation are described.