Driving ability and cognitive dysfunction in senile dementia and depression

2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 12670957
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Showa University
• Principal Investigator: MIMURA Masaru Showa University, School of Medicine, Associate Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (00190728)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): OTSUBO Tempei Showa University, School of Medicine, Assistant Professor, 医学部, 専任講師 (20245856) ; KOMATSU Shin-ichi Faculty of Education, Shinshu University, Associate Professor, 教育学部, 助教授 (50178357) ; KATO Motoichiro Department of Medicine, Tokyo Dental College, Ichikawa General Hospital, Associate Professor, 市川総合病院, 助教授 (80161123)
• Project Period (FY): 2000 – 2001
• Keywords: Driving / Alzheimer's disease / depression / Attention / dementia / neuropsychology / Working memory / cognitive function

Research Abstract

Objective : Motor vehicle accidents caused by old-age drivers have been increasing in recent years. The present research aimed to evaluate driving performance of patients with early dementia or senile depression with a driving simulator. The relation between driving ability and performance onieuropsychologicaltests were also investigated. Methods : Subjects included 11 dementia patients at early stage (CDR 0.51.0), 16 senile depression patients in mild to moderate severity and 11 patients with focal brain damage. Three among the subjects reactly experienced mild car damage. Basic neuropsychological examination included MinMental State Examination, Ravexfs Colored Progressive Matrices, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale- Revised, Wechsler Memory Scale - Revised, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Trail Making Test, and modified Stroop Test. The driving simulator (AC110, TaskNet Inc) was introduced for evaluation, and (1). brake pedal pressing only, (2). both brake and accelerator pedals, (3). handle manipulation only, (4). combination of (2)(3) wereexamined.
Results : Performance of the patients was assessed in comparison of agenatched normal data base for AC110. Patients with mild dementia were impaired in all aspects of driving simulator evaluation [(1()4)] Patients with depression were specifically impaired in combined manipulation tasks (4). From the viewpoint of actual driving, accuracy appeared to be more important than speed. Subjects who were inaccurate in manipulating combined handle and pedal movements should be advised not to ciriveor drive with caution. General intelligence and memory did not relate with driving activities. In contrast, frontal functions, specifically modified Stroop test, showed some correlations with driving performance.
Conclusions : Evaluation with driving sinulator partially reflects cognitive problems in early dementia and senile depression.