Neuropsychological Function and Driving Ability in People with Parkinson's Disease

In this study the association between cognitive symptoms of PD and driving performance was investigated by examining the correlation between neuropsychological test performance and driving simulator behavior. Eighteen participants with PD and 18 healthy participants in a matched comparison group com...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology 2006-09, Vol.28 (6), p.898-913
Main Authors: Stolwyk, R.J., Charlton, J.L., Triggs, T.J., Iansek, R., Bradshaw, J.L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Aged
Automobile Driver Examination - statistics & numerical data
Automobile Driving
Biological and medical sciences
Case-Control Studies
Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases
Female
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes)
Nervous system as a whole
Neurology
Neuropsychological Tests - statistics & numerical data
Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology
Parkinson Disease - physiopathology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychomotor Performance - physiology
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Statistics as Topic
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Summary:In this study the association between cognitive symptoms of PD and driving performance was investigated by examining the correlation between neuropsychological test performance and driving simulator behavior. Eighteen participants with PD and 18 healthy participants in a matched comparison group completed a range of neuropsychological measures. These data were correlated with driving simulator performance results from an earlier study. Significant correlations were found between several measures of neuropsychological test performance and driving behavior in participants with PD. In contrast, few significant correlations were obtained in the comparison group. Results suggest that executive difficulties in people with PD such as working memory, planning and set shifting are associated with reduced tactical level driving performance such as speed adaptation and complex curve navigation. Impaired information processing, visual attention and visual perception in people with PD appears associated with reduced operational level driving performance, such as reacting to road obstacles and maintaining constant lane position. Few correlations were found between measures of physical mobility and psychomotor speed with driving measures. Overall, this study highlights the important role of cognitive function in driving performance within the PD population. Comprehensive assessment of cognitive function should be included when assessing driving competency in people with PD.
ISSN:1380-3395
1744-411X
DOI:10.1080/13803390591000909