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Driving with Parkinson's disease: More than meets the eye

This editorial considers the mainstay of modern life, driving an automobile. The author notes that most members of the United States society use the automobile as their primary source of transportation, and driving oneself is characterized as a critical feature of daily living. Driving even defines an individual's independence and competency, and driving cessation has been associated with depression and social isolation. The author then considers the issue of driving safety in neurologically-impaired individuals, including those people with such common and progressive degenerative diseases as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In addition to motor dysfunction, Parkinson's disease causes abnormalities in cognition, sleep regulation, autonomic function, visual processing, attention, and perception. The author concludes by questioning whether early identification and application of rehabilitation targeted to these patients would improve their driving performance and prolong their independence, without risking their safety and the safety of others.