%0 Journal Article
%T Driver landmark and traffic sign identification in early Alzheimer's disease
%J Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry
%D 2005
%A Dawson, Jeffrey D.
%A Shi, Qichang
%A Anderson, Steven W.
%A Rizzo, Matthew
%A Uc, Ergun Y.
%A Uc, Ergun Y
%V 76
%N 6
%P 764-768
%X 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.
%G 
%I BMJ Publishing Group
%@ 0022-3050
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2004.049338