Effects of Different Types of Cognitive Training on Cognitive Function, Brain Structure, and Driving Safety in Senior Daily Drivers: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background. Increasing proportion of the elderly in the driving population raises the importance of assuring their safety. We explored the effects of three different types of cognitive training on the cognitive function, brain structure, and driving safety of the elderly. Methods. Thirty-seven healthy elderly daily drivers were randomly assigned to one of three training groups: Group V trained in a vehicle with a newly developed onboard cognitive training program, Group P trained with a similar program but on a personal computer, and Group C trained to solve a crossword puzzle. Before and after the 8-week training period, they underwent neuropsychological tests, structural brain magnetic resonance imaging, and driving safety tests. Results. For cognitive function, only Group V showed significant improvements in processing speed and working memory. For driving safety, Group V showed significant improvements both in the driving aptitude test and in the on-road evaluations. Group P showed no significant improvements in either test, and Group C showed significant improvements in the driving aptitude but not in the on-road evaluations. Conclusion. The results support the effectiveness of the onboard training program in enhancing the elderly's abilities to drive safely and the potential advantages of a multimodal training approach.

High‐gamma power changes after cognitive intervention: preliminary results from twenty‐one senior adult subjects

“…We also noted that these regions did not overlap with the regions showing structural changes after cognitive intervention (Nozawa et al. ). The Fieldtrip software package (Oostenveld et al.…”

“…Indeed, Group V but not Group P showed significant improvements in cognitive functions as assessed by the neuropsychological test battery (Nozawa et al. ). Previous studies have shown that not only cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise but also coordinative exercise could improve cognitive functioning in older adults (Voelcker‐Rehage et al.…”

“…For this purpose, we investigated whether cognitive training in elderly people affected the high-gamma activity associated with attentional processing and whether high-gamma power changes were related to changes in behavioral performance. Recently, we conducted an intervention study (Nozawa et al 2015) to investigate the effects of different types of cognitive training on cognitive function and driving safety: Group V trained in a vehicle with a newly developed onboard cognitive training program, Group P trained with a similar program but on a personal computer, and Group C was trained to solve a crossword puzzle as an active control group. After the 8-week intervention, Group V showed significant improvement in the processing speed (P = 0.048) and working memory (P = 0.048) composites.…”

Small Acute Benefits of 4 Weeks Processing Speed Training Games on Processing Speed and Inhibition Performance and Depressive Mood in the Healthy Elderly People: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial

“…Third, we did not include measurements related to everyday behaviors such as driving. Previous studies demonstrated that cognitive training improves driving skills in elderly people (Edwards et al, 2009b; Nozawa et al, 2015). To generalize the effects of short-term processing speed training, it is necessary to verify the positive effects of the short-term processing speed training on everyday behaviors.…”

Drugs, games, and devices for enhancing cognition: implications for work and society

“…For example, children with a lower baseline may benefit more from training, whereas, in older adults, those with higher baseline education seem to perform better with training . Furthermore, in older adults, one specific everyday domain has received some attention: the development of specific training programs for improving car‐driving performance and safety, with rather consistent, successful results …”