A recent study has revealed that certain driving behaviors could signal early signs of dementia. Published in the Neurology journal, the research indicates that individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) exhibit distinct changes in their driving habits that may serve as red flags for cognitive decline.
The study involved 298 participants, all aged 65 years and older, who underwent cognitive assessments at the start of the research and continued evaluations over a period of 40 months. Initially, 56 participants were identified as having MCI, while 242 participants were classified as having normal cognitive abilities.
Researchers utilized a global positioning system (GPS)-enabled tracking device to monitor driving behaviors, capturing various variables such as the number of trips taken, trip timing, distance traveled, and driving maneuvers like speeding and hard cornering. Findings revealed that participants with MCI made significantly fewer trips, particularly during nighttime hours, and tended to avoid unfamiliar routes, opting instead for familiar paths.
Interestingly, while these individuals were less likely to speed, they exhibited an increase in the frequency of hard cornering, suggesting a decline in driving performance. The research team noted that some of these adaptations, such as avoiding longer or unpredictable trips, might be strategies to compensate for diminishing driving abilities.
The study’s results indicated a strong correlation between driving patterns and cognitive status. In fact, researchers could accurately predict participants’ cognitive impairment based solely on their driving habits, outperforming traditional cognitive test models in accuracy.
The authors of the study emphasized the potential of these digital driving biomarkers in identifying cognitive impairments early. They suggested that integrating such monitoring tools into routine assessments could enhance evaluations of older adults’ fitness to drive.
Looking ahead, the researchers called for further studies to investigate how driving behaviors evolve from normal cognition to MCI and eventually dementia. They stressed the importance of maintaining ethical standards regarding autonomy, privacy, and informed decision-making in this context.
Experts in the field have previously linked driving difficulties to dementia-related changes. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, individuals with dementia often face challenges related to spatial awareness and color recognition, which can complicate driving.
The Alzheimer’s Society reports that approximately one in three people with dementia continue to drive, although they caution that the condition progressively impairs the skills necessary for safe driving. They note, “Most drivers with Alzheimer’s disease will need to stop driving in the middle stage of dementia,” highlighting that the timeline for when driving becomes unsafe varies from person to person.
As the research and its implications unfold, it becomes increasingly clear that understanding driving behavior may be a critical component in identifying cognitive decline early, ultimately improving safety for individuals and the community at large.
