title: Divided attention and driving: a pilot study using virtual reality technology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Virtual reality (VR) was used to investigate the influence of divided attention (simple versus complex) on driving performance (speed control).
  
  
  METHODS
  Three individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and three healthy controls (HC), matched for age, education, and gender, were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preliminary results revealed no differences on driving speed between TBI and HC. In contrast, TBI subjects demonstrated a greater number of errors on a secondary task performed while driving.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that VR may provide an innovative medium for direct evaluation of basic cognitive functions (ie, divided attention) and its impact on everyday tasks (ie, driving) not previously available through traditional neuropsychological measures.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, West Orange, New Jersey 07052, USA.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lengenfelder
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Schultheis
authors.forename: Talal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Al-Shihabi
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mourant
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DeLuca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011930:Reaction Time; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014794:Visual Fields