Background With the deterioration of cognitive functions, the capability to obtain information with speed, one of the essential elements needed to perform safe driving, may be impacted. We aimed to compare the legibility of analogue and digital speedometers for senior drivers with cognitive impairment, and examined the demographic, cognitive, and driving‐related variables that predict their speedometer‐reading performance. Methods A total of 50 senior drivers with cognitive impairment were investigated and asked to complete an office‐based speedometer‐reading test using an iPad. Two general types of speedometers (analogue and digital) were tested in this study. Results The age of the participants ranged from 61 to 92 years (mean (SD), 79.10 (6.973)), and 29 were male. The mean (SD) score of the Mini‐Mental State Examination was 22.48 (6.089). The median (QL, QU) scores of the analogue and digital speedometer‐reading tests were 4 (4, 5.25) and 6 (6), respectively. Based on the result of the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test, the score of the digital speedometer‐reading test was significantly higher than that of the analogue one (Z = 4.399, P < 0.001). The results of multiple linear regression analyses show that the scores of the Mini‐Mental State Examination (β = 0.358, P = 0.025), and the trail‐making test‐A (β = −0.443, P = 0.006) predicted the digital speedometer‐reading performance, and they together explain 54.7% of the total variance. Conclusions A digital speedometer was found to be easier for absolute value reading for senior drivers with cognitive impairment, compared to an analogue speedometer. Senior drivers with subjective cognitive decline may also have impairments in obtaining the speed information through an analogue speedometer. General cognitive function and attention may influence the speed‐reading performance on the digital speedometer.
Background With cognitive functions deteriorated, the capability to get the information of speed, one of the essential element needed to perform safe driving1, may be influenced. We aim to investigate the reading of the speedometer (SM) values in elderly driver with cognitive impairments by comparing the recognition of analog and digital SM values, and examine its correlation with cognitive functions. Methods Elderly subjects with driving experience who visited the outpatient neurology clinic in the Kyoto university hospital for cognitive complaints from July 2018 to December 2019 were investigated. Cognitive tests were carried out, as well as a test asking participants to read the speed values of analog SM and digital SM presented on the iPad within the time limit. Results Among 48 participants slightly more than half of them returned their driving licenses (retired drivers) whereas 22 still hold a valid driving license (current drivers). Based on the result of Wilcoxon test, among all participants the result of reading test of digital SM had significant higher scores than analog SM (Z=‐3.996, p<0.0001). According to the Mann‐Whitney U test, there was no significantly different about their reading ability of both analog and digital SM values between current drivers and retired drivers. Additionally, the reading ability of digital SM was significantly correlated with the score of Mini‐mental state examination, block design test and clock drawing test. Conclusions Among elderly drivers with cognitive impairments, it was shown that digital SM was easier to read than analog SM. This newly gained information provides an innovative insight to the design of SM. Reference: Francois M, Osiurak F, Fort A, Crave P, Navarro J. Analogue versus digital speedometer: effects on distraction and usability for truck driving. European Conference on Human Centred Design for Intelligent Transport Systems; 2016‐06‐30, 2016; Loughborough, France.
Background: Time disorientation is one of the main symptoms observed in patients with dementia; however, their clock-reading ability has not been fully reported. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clock-reading ability of both digital and analog clocks in patients with dementia. We newly devised the clock-reading test (CRT) and the number-reading test (NRT) to assess cognitive factors that may affect clock-reading ability. Furthermore, the discriminating power of the CRT was calculated. Methods: 104 participants were categorized based on their Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores as follows: subjective cognitive decline ∼ mild cognitive impairment (SCD∼MCI, N = 43), early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (N = 26), and middle-to-late AD (N = 35). Their cognitive abilities were evaluated using the clock-drawing test (CDT), CRT, and NRT. Results: Cognitive decline leads to impairment of clock-reading ability which is more pronounced in the analog clocks than digital ones. This deficit in clock-reading is attributed to a loss of semantic memory regarding clocks at all stages. Additionally, visuospatial dysfunction and reduced ability of number recognition may lead to deficit in clock-reading in the advanced stage of AD. The discriminating power of the CRT (analog) (AUC = 0.853) was high enough to detect cognitive decline. Conclusion: Digital clocks are more readable by patients with dementia. Since reading clocks is closely associated with daily life, the CRT has proved to be a useful tool. A decline of analog clock-reading may be an early detector for the onset of dementia in elderly patients.
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