GPS Data Outperforms Traditional Memory Tests in Spotting Early Cognitive Decline
A groundbreaking new study suggests that the way we drive could reveal early signs of dementia long before standard medical assessments. Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in Missouri discovered that analysing in-vehicle GPS data was more effective than using age or conventional memory tests for identifying mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a known precursor to dementia.
How Driving Habits Change with Cognitive Impairment
The study meticulously tracked 298 older adults with an average age of 75 for over three years. All participants drove at least weekly and had GPS trackers installed in their vehicles. The research team monitored various aspects of their driving, including frequency, distance, night-time driving, speed limit adherence, and route variation.
The results were telling. Individuals diagnosed with MCI gradually began to drive less often each month, significantly reduced their night-time journeys, and stuck more rigidly to familiar routes. These behavioural shifts emerged early in the research period and persisted for years, marking a distinct pattern compared to their cognitively healthy counterparts.
Using driving metrics alone, the researchers achieved an 82% accuracy rate in predicting MCI. When this data was combined with demographic information, cognitive test scores, and genetic data related to Alzheimer's, the prediction accuracy rose to an impressive 87%. Without any driving data, the accuracy dropped to 76%.
A New Path for Early Intervention and Road Safety
Lead author Dr Ganesh Babulal, an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, highlighted the significance of the findings. 'Early identification of older drivers who are at risk for accidents is a public health priority,' he stated. 'We found that using a GPS data tracking device, we could more accurately determine who had developed cognitive issues than looking at just factors such as age, cognitive test scores and genetic risk.'
Dr Babulal emphasised that monitoring everyday driving behaviour offers a low-burden, noninvasive way to observe cognitive functioning. This early identification could pave the way for timely interventions, potentially preventing accidents before they happen. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Aging, was published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The researchers also acknowledged a limitation, noting that most participants were highly educated and white, which may affect how widely the findings can be generalised. They cautioned that any such monitoring must be implemented ethically, with utmost respect for individual autonomy and privacy.
With MCI affecting an estimated 17 to 22 percent of Americans aged 65 and older, and dementia projected to affect nearly 13 million Americans by 2050, this unobtrusive method of detection could become a vital tool in managing public health and safety.
