Dopamine agonists play an important role in the treatment of early Parkinson's disease, either as monotherapy or in combination with levodopa. Initial treatment with dopamine agonists has been found to postpone or prevent from motor fluctuations and dyskinesias. Dopamine agonists have also been shown to be significantly effective in the treatment of motor oscillations and dyskinesias related to chronic levodopa treatment. The "new" dopaminagonists pergolide, cabergoline, ropinirole and pramipexole tend to be more effective than bromocriptine. Due to side-effects dopamine agonists are mainly used in subjects younger than 70 to 75 years.