Citation

Uc EY, Rizzo M, Anderson SW, Shi Q, Dawson JD. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2005; 76(6): 764-768.

Affiliation

Department of Neurology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. ergun-uc@uiowa.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/jnnp.2004.049338

PMID

15897495

PMCID

PMC1739673

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.