Cognitive Reserve and Driving Mobility Study (PI: Northcutt)

It is estimated that over 6 million adults ages 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. As reported by the Alzheimer’s Association, it is projected that all states will see an increase in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease, with Kentucky projected to see a 14.7% increase from 2020 to 2025. Alzheimer’s disease is accompanied by cognitive impairment and difficulties in functional abilities, such as driving a vehicle, which contributes to reductions in independent living and quality of life. How quickly the disease progresses, and the severity of impairments expected varies across diagnosed individuals. Understanding this variability between the severity of disease pathology and level of cognitive ability (i.e., cognitive reserve) is important to helping individuals navigate living with Alzheimer’s disease. The objective of this pilot study is to begin investigating the relationship between disease pathology, cognitive reserve, and driving mobility to understanding how the severity of disease pathology maps onto driving mobility using performance-based measures of driving ability.