Jennifer Mathews: It's not just another day at the driving range for David and his wife Freda. A few months ago, David had a hard time walking, and he couldn't even consider golfing.
Freda Bonthron: I would have to cut his meat. I almost had to feed him sometimes. I had to wash him.
Jennifer Mathews: David has advanced Parkinson's disease. Like many patients, as his disease progressed, his medication became less effective.
David Bonthron: If I was standing to hit the ball, I couldn't get this leg to move most of the time.
Jennifer Mathews: Today, David easily strikes ball after ball.
Freda Bonthron: When I'm watching him here, it's wonderful. It's so different than from what he was before.
Jennifer Mathews: Doctor Robert Hauser says what David experienced happens to many Parkinson's patients who have spent years taking a dopamine medication.
Robert Hauser: They take it. It lasts a few hours. It wears off, and then they get their slowness, stiffness and tremors back.
Jennifer Mathews: Now, a new study shows when dopamine drugs like sinemet wear off, the new non-dopamine drug istradefylline steps in.
Robert Hauser: The quality of what they can do relates to is the medication is working, and as the study demonstrated, istradefylline gives them more of that good quality time throughout the day.
Jennifer Mathews: The amount of time patients have tremors, slowness and stiffness is reduced by nearly two hours a day. For David, it meant a chance to go back to the game he loves.
David Bonthron: It's been really good for me. It's put me back on my feet.
Jennifer Mathews: This is Jennifer Mathews reporting.
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