Researchers from the University of Málaga (Occupational Therapy) and the University of Granada (CIMCYC) are working on the development of a protocol that assesses the cognitive sequelae of these patients who want to return to driving.
Every year there are about 105,000 new cases of stroke, according to the Spanish Federation of Brain Injury. Is it safe to return to driving after suffering a stroke? A scientific team made up of researchers from the University of Malaga and Granada are working on the development of a protocol to evaluate the cognitive alterations of these patients and how these alterations can affect their ability to drive -'fitness to drive'. Currently, at the national level, there is no valid evaluation protocol that includes the main tests that could be decisive for driving again after a stroke.
People who have suffered a Cerebro Vascular Accident (CVA) may show cognitive alterations with effects on memory, attention, decision making or problem solving processes, as well as alterations in personality, being more rigid in their approaches.
The protocol being worked on will make it possible to identify which patients will be able to drive at the time of the evaluation and which will require intervention of the altered processes before being able to to drive again.
Currently, off-road tests are being carried out to predict driving performance and identify cognitive deficits; tests on hazard perception and risk estimation, and an on-road test has also been created to evaluate driving performance both in simulator and real driving.
To carry out the tests, the University of Malaga has a driving simulator in the laboratory of the Faculty of Health Sciences in which the examinee can take a virtual tour, lasting an hour and a half, with equipment similar to that of a real car, which even adapts to examples of adverse weather conditions, different types of roads or aggressive behavior of other drivers.
This project works in collaboration with the El Torcal Foundation, which has made available for the research a vehicle with double automatic control and another manual, with various adaptations, as well as the presence of an instructor.
The Spanish “Dirección General de Tráfico” and the Malaga City Council are showing interest in the research. Representatives of both institutions have recently visited the laboratory of the University of Malaga to learn first-hand about the project from its promoters.
The patients participating in this study come from different hospitals and brain damage centers in Malaga and Granada, such as the Regional University Hospital of Malaga, the University Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, the Acquired Brain Injury Association of Malaga (ADACEMA) or the Aisse Sinergia center (Granada).
This project is funded by FEDER funds from the Junta de Andalucía - Department of Economic Transformation, Industry, Knowledge and Universities.