Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026
11:12
Driving Simulation in the Clinic: Testing Visual Exploratory Behavior in Daily Life Activities in Patients with Visual Field Defects
Published on: September 18, 2012
18.0K
Driving continuity in cognitively impaired older drivers
Hiroyuki Shimada1, Kota Tsutsumimoto1, Sangyoon Lee1
1Department of Functioning Activation, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.
Geriatrics & Gerontology International
|May 9, 2015
Summary
Many older men with moderate cognitive decline continue driving, despite impaired cognitive function. This highlights a high-risk group needing further study to prevent crashes.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neurology
- Public Health
Background:
- Cognitive impairment in older adults poses risks to driving safety.
- Driving errors and crashes are more frequent with cognitive decline.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of cognitive impairments in older drivers.
- To assess driving behaviors in relation to cognitive function.
Main Methods:
- Population-based survey of 10,073 older adults.
- Cognitive function assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Functional Assessment Tool.
- Included tests for memory, attention, executive function, processing speed, and visuospatial skills.
Main Results:
- 61% of older men with moderate cognitive decline (MMSE ≤20) continued to drive, compared to 15% of older women.
- Participants with normal cognition (MMSE ≥27) outperformed those with mild or moderate decline on cognitive tests.
- Those with mild cognitive decline scored better than those with moderate decline.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of older men with moderate cognitive decline continue driving.
- These drivers exhibit poorer cognitive performance across multiple domains.
- Further research is needed to understand crash risks in this population.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
1.3K
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
1.3K
01:26Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
2.0K
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
2.0K
01:12Visual Agnosia
1.8K
Visual agnosia is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize visually presented objects despite having normal vision. For instance, a person with visual agnosia can describe the shape and color of an object but cannot identify or name it. This impairment does not affect their visual field, acuity, color vision, brightness discrimination, language, or memory. An example of this condition in a social setting is someone at a dinner party asking for "that silver thing with a round...
1.8K
01:27Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
333
Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
333