Driver landmark and traffic sign identification in early Alzheimer’s disease
- 1Division of Neuroergonomics, Department of Neurology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- 2Division of Neuroergonomics, Department of Neurology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
- 3Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
- Correspondence to: Dr Ergun Y Uc Department of Neurology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA; ergun-ucuiowa.edu
- Received 7 July 2004
- Accepted 10 October 2004
- Revised 5 September 2004
Abstract
Objective: To assess visual search and recognition of roadside targets and safety errors during a landmark and traffic sign identification task in drivers with Alzheimer’s disease.
Methods: 33 drivers with probable Alzheimer’s disease of mild severity and 137 neurologically normal older adults underwent a battery of visual and cognitive tests and were asked to report detection of specific landmarks and traffic signs along a segment of an experimental drive.
Results: The drivers with mild Alzheimer’s disease identified significantly fewer landmarks and traffic signs and made more at-fault safety errors during the task than control subjects. Roadside target identification performance and safety errors were predicted by scores on standardised tests of visual and cognitive function.
Conclusions: Drivers with Alzheimer’s disease are impaired in a task of visual search and recognition of roadside targets; the demands of these targets on visual perception, attention, executive functions, and memory probably increase the cognitive load, worsening driving safety.
- ARGOS, Automobile for Research in Ergonomics and Safety
- AVLT-recall, auditory verbal learning test–recall
- Blocks, block design subtest
- BVRT, Benton visual retention test
- CFT-copy, complex figure test–copy
- CFT-recall, complex figure test–recall
- Cogstat, composite measure of cognitive impairment
- COWA, controlled oral word association
- CS, contrast sensitivity
- FVA, far visual acuity
- JLO, judgment of line orientation
- LTIT, landmark and traffic sign identification task
- MMSE, mini-mental state examination
- NINCDS–ADRDA, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke–Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association
- NVA, near visual acuity
- SFM, structure from motion
- TMT-B, trail making test subtest B
- UFOVTOT, total of subtests of the useful field of view task
Footnotes
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Competing interests: none declared
