Cognitive functioning and driving simulator performance in middle-aged and older adults with HIV

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Public Health

Background:

• Cognitive deficits are common in people living with HIV (PLWH) and can affect daily activities.
• The aging HIV population faces compounded cognitive challenges from both HIV and aging.
• Driving ability is a crucial daily function potentially impacted by cognitive decline in aging PLWH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between cognitive function, aging, and driving performance in middle-aged and older adults with HIV.
• To determine if HIV-specific factors (CD4 count, viral load) or general aging factors influence driving ability.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional pilot study involving 26 adults aged 40+ living with HIV.
• Data collection included questionnaires (demographics, health, psychosocial, driving habits), cognitive assessments, and driving simulator tests.
• Analysis explored correlations between cognitive measures, age, HIV status, and driving performance metrics.

Main Results:

• Older age was significantly associated with poorer driving performance.
• Impaired visual speed of processing (useful field of view) correlated with slower reaction times.
• HIV viral load and CD4+ T lymphocyte counts did not show a relationship with driving performance.
• Self-reported driving habits showed mixed associations with objective driving performance and cognitive function.

Conclusions:

• Aging itself, alongside specific cognitive deficits like visual processing speed, poses a greater risk to driving ability in PLWH than HIV disease markers.
• Findings suggest a need for nursing interventions and research focused on age-related cognitive changes and their impact on functional independence in aging PLWH.
• Further research should explore strategies to mitigate driving risks associated with cognitive aging in the context of HIV.