Researchers have developed a quick online test that could keep Canada's roads safer by screening drivers for hidden cognitive problems, which experts say are on the rise as the nation's elderly population grows.
BrainScreen, which costs $25 and takes up to 15 minutes to complete, was designed to alert users to symptoms of invisible cognitive problems such as post-concussive disorder, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
"It's a test that will allow us to understand whether or not somebody has mild cognitive difficulties or severe cognitive difficulties," Co-creator Konstantine Zakzanis told CTV's Canada AM.
Spotting those problems could make roads safer and allow at-risk individuals to seek early treatment, he explained.
Canadian lawmakers have identified text messaging, eating food and more as potential dangers while driving. It's also standard for would-be drivers to take a vision test before receiving a licence.
The dangers of cognitive impairment, said Zakzanis, don't seem to be on the radar of most drivers.
"We've been measuring visual acuity for years," he noted. "So the fact that we haven't been measuring cognitive ability is probably taking most people by surprise."
BrainScreen puts users through a series of tests, which touch upon:
- Concentration
- Simple problem solving
- Reaction time
- Working memory
- Information processing speed
Upon completion, BrainScreen receive a green, yellow or red grade, a system which aptly mimics the colours of a traffic light.
Green indicates the user has normal cognitive function, yellow signals a potential problem and red warns of a serious cognitive problem.
As Canada's demographics continue to shift, Zakzanis said it's become more important than ever to conduct early tests for hidden cognitive impairments.
"We have burgeoning population of elderly individuals," he noted. "We have what some people call a tsunami of persons with Alzheimer's disease who are on their way."
The test was developed through the University of Toronto and the Hemisphere Centre for Mental Health & Wellness. BrainScreen is patent-pending and there's no word on whether it, or a similar method, will be adopted by the Ministry of Transportation.
