The Wechsler Digit Symbol Substitution Test as the best indicator of the risk of impaired driving in Alzheimer disease and normal aging.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to identify cognitive tools associated with unsafe driving among elderly drivers of varying cognitive levels.


METHODS
Twenty drivers with early-stage dementia of the Alzheimer type and 56 nondemented drivers aged 65-85 were recruited. Various cognitive processes were measured and unsafe driving was evaluated during an in-traffic road test with 3 different indicators and a composite indicator.


RESULTS
The Wechsler Digit Symbol Substitution Test score was the best cognitive measure to detect unsafe drivers using the composite driving indicator.


CONCLUSIONS
The Digit Symbol Substitution Test may be used by physicians for the evaluation and follow-up of older patients, with or without Alzheimer-type dementia, as a screening tool of unsafe driving.
UMR T9405 (INRETS/Université de Lyon - Lyon 1/Institut de Veille Sanitaire), Bron, France. sylviane.lafont@inrets.fr
Sylviane
S
Lafont
Claude
C
Marin-Lamellet
Laurence
L
Paire-Ficout
Catherine
C
Thomas-Anterion
Bernard
B
Laurent
Colette
C
Fabrigoule
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012449:Safety; D013998:Time Perception / Q000502:physiology; D014888:Wechsler Scales