Mild Cognitive Impairment and Driving Cessation: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neurology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Driving cessation in older adults is linked to significant health issues.
• Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) face heightened risks associated with driving cessation.
• Limited research exists on driving behaviors and cessation in the MCI population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key predictors of driving cessation among individuals diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.
• To understand the factors influencing driving cessation in a cohort of people with MCI.

Main Methods:

• 185 individuals with MCI were recruited from Australian memory clinics.
• Driving status, cognition, function, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and medication use were tracked over 3 years.
• Data collection involved participants and their carers.

Main Results:

• Out of 144 participants still driving at baseline, 50 (27.0%) ceased driving within 3 years.
• Predictors of driving cessation included older age, increased cognitive and functional impairment, and a steeper decline in these measures at 6 months.
• 58% of those who stopped driving were later diagnosed with dementia, with cessation often occurring post-diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• A substantial percentage of individuals with MCI stop driving within 3 years, independent of dementia development.
• Accessible factors like age, cognitive status, and functional ability, along with their 6-month changes, are significant predictors of driving cessation.