Cognitive Reserve and Driving-Related Cognitive Abilities in a Sample of Oldest Old Drivers Undergoing Assessment of Fitness to Drive

Balzarotti, Stefania; Biassoni, Federica; Confalonieri, Federica; Meinero, Carlo Alberto; Ciceri, Maria Rita

doi:10.1177/0733464821994703

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…The number of conditions leading to restrictions increases with age. This confirms the fourth hypothesis of the study, and these are an indicator of poorer performance in driving tasks as noted by [ 49 ] when comparing drivers with and without restrictions. In particular, drivers with restrictions are those who show a greater decline in cognitive tasks associated with driving four years after being evaluated for the first time compared to drivers without restrictions [ 57 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…This decrease is evident in both men and women. This decline in the performance of driving as well as the cognitive abilities associated with the increase in age has been pointed out in different studies [21,47,48]; although, the big differences between individuals that can be seen in this case must be taken into consideration [20,49]. In this regard, the evaluation of psychophysical abilities in drivers becomes more relevant than chronological age, and these evaluations are more precise at the time of predicting driving performance [20,50].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

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Evaluation of Psychophysical Fitness in Drivers over 65 Years of Age

et al. 2023

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Background: The deterioration of cognitive and psychophysical ability associated with aging has an effect on road safety, especially in the driving of vehicles. The current study’s main objective is to evaluate the psychophysical aptitudes in drivers over 65 years of age in a sample of drivers in Spain. Methods: The sample was formed of a total of 1663 drivers who attended a Driver Recognition Center. The evaluation of their psychophysical aptitudes was carried out following the Medical-Psychological Exploration Protocol for Driver Recognition Centers, edited by the Ministry of Health and the General Directorate of Traffic. Results: The results show increased restrictions in the evaluation of driving ability with age, which are especially significant after 75 years of age. Regarding sex, 70.1% of women have an approved evaluation, compared to men aged between 65–69, although from 69 onwards, the percentage of approved women decreases significantly. The loss of visual capabilities and poor performance in psycho-technical tests are the main causes associated with an evaluation with restrictions, with the number of restrictive conditions increasing with age. Conclusions: There is an increase in the number of cases with age-related restrictions, especially in the case of women and ophthalmologic-related problems, although the majority of drivers over 65 years old continue driving, thus continuing with a practice that has been related to the well-being and quality of life of older adults.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Evaluation of Psychophysical Fitness in Drivers over 65 Years of Age

et al. 2023

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“…First, research has consistently shown that cognitive abilities independently explain a significant amount of variance in driving performance [33,34]. Second, there are large individual differences in cognitive abilities even at older ages [32,35]. These results provide evidence in support of a role for the assessment of cognitive functions at an individual level as a more accurate measure of driving ability than chronological age alone [21,32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Driving-Related Cognitive Abilities: Evaluating Change over Time in a Sample of Older Adults Undergoing an Assessment Regarding Fitness to Drive

Balzarotti

Pagani

Telazzi

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Advancing age can bring a decline in many driving-related cognitive abilities. For this reason, public safety concern has raised about older adults’ driving performance, and many countries have adopted screening polices to assess older drivers’ fitness to drive. As a result of such assessments, authorities may impose behavioral restrictions to driving. The present study examines whether driving-related cognitive abilities change over time and compares drivers either restricted or not by licensing authorities after the first assessment. The data were derived from a database provided by a service of psychodiagnostic assessment of fitness to drive. This database contained data of people referred for cognitive assessment in order to renew their driving license over the period of 2016 to 2022. The sample included 58 cognitively healthy old drivers (mean age = 82.79, SD = 6.13; 97% men) with a follow-up examination (T2) after a period ranging from one to four years (M = 1.59, SD = 0.72) since the first assessment. Cognitive assessments were conducted using the standard test battery from the Vienna Test System (VTS8; ©Schuhfried GmbH, Mödling, Austria). Decision time variability, motor time, reaction time under stress, and obtaining an overview did not show significant changes between T1 and T2, whereas selective attention and inductive reasoning significantly decreased over time in both groups. Improvements in processing speed consistent with practice effects emerged at T2. Restricted drivers (n = 41) maintained significantly worse performances than unrestricted drivers (n = 17) in the follow-up assessment. Chronological age was associated with higher reaction time under stress, while education showed a buffering role against a decrease in perceptual speed. Overall, although older drivers’ driving-related cognitive abilities remain relatively stable over the short-term, the decline in some cognitive functions deserves reevaluation and monitoring.

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“…Data from a follow-up Australian study showed better results in different cognitive tasks for older drivers than non-drivers and those who stopped driving after 4 years (Anstey et al, 2017). Driving is associated with cognitive reserve (Balzarotti et al, 2021), and various aspects of cognition are affected by normal aging, with great variation among individuals. However, the relationship between cognition and duration of screen time seems to be related to the type of electronic screen.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Associated With Driving Status Among Brazilian Older Adults

et al. 2022

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This study analyzed the factors associated with driving status among older adults in Brazil. The sample consisted of 15,221 older adults (≥65 years) residing in Brazilian capitals in 2018. The following question established the participants’ driving status: “ Do you drive a car, motorcycle, and/or another vehicle?” Sociodemographic, health conditions, and health-related behaviors were derived through standard procedures. Poisson regression analysis was performed to estimate prevalence ratios and 95% confidence interval. The prevalence of drivers was 28.83%. We found that being physically active during leisure time and higher daily recreational screen time (>3 h/day) were associated with driving status. Self-perceived negative health and being physically active by commuting showed an inverse association with driving status. The high prevalence of older drivers and the characteristics associated with driving reinforces the importance of public policy strategies for these individuals.

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Cognitive Reserve and Driving-Related Cognitive Abilities in a Sample of Oldest Old Drivers Undergoing Assessment of Fitness to Drive

Cited by 7 publications

References 45 publications

Evaluation of Psychophysical Fitness in Drivers over 65 Years of Age

Evaluation of Psychophysical Fitness in Drivers over 65 Years of Age

Driving-Related Cognitive Abilities: Evaluating Change over Time in a Sample of Older Adults Undergoing an Assessment Regarding Fitness to Drive

Factors Associated With Driving Status Among Brazilian Older Adults

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