Cohort study of cognitive factors that contribute to the vehicle incidents in elderly drivers with/without mild cognitive impairment.

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K17331
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Clinical psychology
• Research Institution: Osaka Prefecture University (2019); Nagoya University (2016-2018)
• Principal Investigator: Kawano Naoko 大阪府立大学, 人間社会システム科学研究科, 准教授 (30583835)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: MCI / 高齢運転者 / DRIVE study / コホート調査 / 地域在住高齢者 / 時計描画検査 / トレイルメイキングテスト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The impacts of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) on driving safety in elderly without dementia remain unclear. Therefore, a baseline survey and follow-up surveys every 6 months for 3.5 years were administered to clarify the driving-related risk of elderly drivers with MCI compared to those with normal cognition. Participants were assessed on their cognitive and psychiatric state, driving-related risks based on self-reported driving events (accidents, traffic citations, unrecorded mistakes, and driving cessation), and driving behavior. The 278 participants in the baseline survey were divided into a control group (n=188), MCI group (n=66), and “others” (n=24) and tracked. Cox regression analyses revealed that "MCI" did not significantly increase driving events including driving cessation, traffic citations, and/or accidents during the 2.5 years. This result supported the view that not all people with MCI are unsafe drivers.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

認知症レベルの認知機能障害は安全な運転を妨げると知られる一方で,軽度認知障害(MCI)の運転者においてその認知機能低下が安全運転に与える影響ははっきりしていなかった。今回, 後方視的/前方視的調査に基づき,前者については3年間,後者については2.5年間の運転イベントについて検討したところ,NC/MCI群間の危険運転リスクに有意差は認められなかった。一方で,ベースライン時点の時計描画検査(CDT)の低成績がその後2.5年間の運転イベント発現を有意に増加させていた。結果は高齢運転者の危険運転予測に対するCDTの有用性を示し,またMCI高齢者の全てが危険な運転者とまでは言えないとする見方を支持する。