Certain changes in driving patterns may point to cognitive decline, dementia

• Individuals with Alzheimer’s disease exhibit impairments in their ability to drive, with these deficits emerging in the early stages of dementia.
• Researchers of a new study found that older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) drove less—especially long distances—than those with normal cognition.
• The study’s findings suggest that driving patterns could be used as a digital biomarker to spot cognitive impairment and associated deficits in driving performance.

Individuals with cognitive impairment are at a two- to five-fold increased risk of being involved in motor accidents, highlighting the deterioration of driving skills with the decline in cognitive function.

A recent study published in Neurology suggests that changes in daily driving patterns recorded using a vehicle datalogger could reliably distinguish individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from those with normal cognition.

The present study’s findings suggest that data collected by vehicle data loggers could be potentially used in the early identification of individuals at risk of a motor crash or those with cognitive impairment, prior to in-person cognitive assessments or brain imaging scans.

Driving data patterns could also serve as a tool to assess the effectiveness of interventions for treating cognitive impairment.

Mill Etienne, MD, an associate professor of neurology and medicine at New York Medical College, who was not involved in this research, told Medical News Today:

“Real-world driving behavior appears to be a promising digital biomarker for detecting early cognitive impairment. These subtle, progressive changes in mobility and driving patterns may help clinicians identify emerging cognitive impairment earlier, guide decisions around driving safety, and support timely interventions to preserve independence and mobility in aging adults.”