# ATTENTION, COGNITION AND DRIVING PERFORMANCE IN SDAT

> **NIH NIH R01** · JEWISH HOSPITAL OF SAINT LOUIS · 1992 · $146,151

## Abstract

The relationship between functional driving performance and age, senile
dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT), and deficits in specific cognitive
aspects related to attentional processing, visuoperceptual function, and
motor control remain largely unexplored.  This study will assess
longitudinally the driving performance of subjects with very mild (N=60)
and mild (N=60) SDAT who continue to drive as compared with healthy elderly
control drivers (N=60).  All participants will be recruited from the
Washington University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) where
clinical staging of dementia and full neuropsychological testing are
performed annually.  The functional assessment tool will be an in-car,
on-the-road driving evaluation which has been successfully piloted in this
population.  Subject self-report of driving ability and an independent
assessment of driving behaviors by a collateral source also will be
obtained.  Independent verification of crashes and citations will be sought
from the responsible state agencies in Missouri and Illinois.  Driving
performance will be measured by the on-the-road evaluation every 6 months
in subjects who passed the previous assessment.  In subjects who did not
pass or who do not return for re-examination, history of driving behaviors
(including cessation of driving) will be obtained from the collateral
source.  At entry and at specified intervals thereafter, all participants
will undergo a battery of tests to measure vigilance, selective attention,
divided attention, attentional capacity, and useful field of view.
Additionally, through separately funded RO-1 projects in the ADRC, all
subjects will be studied annually for visuoperceptual function (including
motion discrimination and high spatial frequency contrast sensitivity) and
motor control processes (motor plan preparation and execution).

This study will characterize driving performance in normal aging and in
persons with SDAT.  It also will identify cognitive and attentional factors
that are associated with retained driving skills to guide development of
screening instruments and will measure performance over time.  It will
provide information useful for public policy decisions regarding driving
competency and re-licensing intervals for these populations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3122107
- **Project number:** 1R01AG010145-01
- **Recipient organization:** JEWISH HOSPITAL OF SAINT LOUIS
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN MORRIS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $146,151
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1992-04-01 → 1995-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3122107

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3122107, ATTENTION, COGNITION AND DRIVING PERFORMANCE IN SDAT (1R01AG010145-01). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3122107. Licensed CC0.

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