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Authors & Affiliations
Emad Alyan, Stefan Arnau, Stephan Getzmann, Julian Elias Reiser, Melanie Karthaus, Edmund Wascher
Abstract
Driving is a complex task that requires effective neural processing and coordination, which typically degrade with age. Previous studies suggest that age-related differences in cognitive and motor functions might influence driving performance. Herein, we investigated age-related differences in neural responses to reactive and proactive driving conditions using blink-related potentials [1]-[3] and source-level functional connectivity analyses based on amplitude envelope correlation [4]. Seventy-six subjects participated in the two separate driving experiments including reactive (19 young, 28 older) and proactive (16 young, 13 older) driving scenarios. While blink rate analysis revealed no significant age or driving condition effects, blink duration was notably longer in younger participants. Also, significant age effects were observed in blink-related potentials, mainly in the frontal N2 and occipital P0 (positive component at the blink max) and P2 components, with higher amplitudes in younger participants, signifying more efficient neural processing. The parietal N2 component showed significant age and interaction effects, with older individuals showing higher amplitudes in reactive conditions, potentially due to increased cognitive effort and attentional demands. Furthermore, functional connectivity analysis revealed that age significantly affects the Visual and Default Mode Networks in the beta band. More specifically, younger participants showed an increase in the clustering coefficient and degrees of the networks, reflecting more robust neural network integration. This study highlights the impact of aging on neural activity and connectivity characteristics during driving and emphasizes the requirement of age-tailored interventions, aimed to improve driving safety.