Khaberni - A recent study revealed that early warning signs of dementia could appear during driving, as researchers concluded that specific changes in daily driving patterns could be an indicator of cognitive decline.
According to the study, individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) tend to decrease the number of their car trips, avoid new routes and driving at night, and were less inclined to speed, but more likely to take turns at excessive speed.
The study included 298 participants aged 65 and older, who underwent cognitive assessment at the beginning of the study, then annually over a period of 40 months.
Of these, 56 participants were suffering from mild cognitive impairment, while 242 others had normal cognitive abilities.
The researchers used GPS tracking devices to monitor the driving patterns of the participants, including the number of trips, their timing, the distances traveled, the destinations, as well as rates of speed, sudden braking, and sharp turning.
During the follow-up period, it was found that older adults with mild cognitive impairment took fewer trips, especially at night, were less inclined to take long trips, and more likely to avoid new or unexpected places, preferring familiar routes.
An increase in sharp turning incidents was also observed in this group, which the researchers attributed to a decline in driving performance. They indicated that some behaviors, such as avoiding long trips or unfamiliar environments, could be adaptive strategies to cope with declining capabilities.
The study’s results showed that driving patterns alone enabled researchers to predict the participants' cognitive state with high accuracy, surpassing models based on traditional cognitive tests, age, gender, educational level, or genetic predisposition.
The authors of the study confirmed that "digital indicators derived from driving have promising potential for early detection of cognitive impairment, and could enhance current methods of assessing driving eligibility among the elderly."
