The primary approach to treating Parkinson's disease is pharmacotherapy. This treatment aims to alleviate symptoms by increasing the reduced dopaminergic activity in the brain; medications that elevate dopamine levels are used for this purpose. Surgical treatment options may be considered when pharmacotherapy does not yield the expected response or its efficacy diminishes over time. However, long-term and/or high-dose use of Parkinson's medications, although the etiology is not yet fully understood, can lead to motor fluctuations in patients such as short-term excessive movement, periods of unresponsiveness ("off" states), or involuntary movements (dyskinesias).