Early signs of cognitive decline may influence our driving habits, making our choices in travel times and routes a potential indicator of future mental health.

Researchers from Washington University in St Louis found that a tendency to drive less often and to stick to familiar paths could herald a need for early intervention for drivers who may be at risk of a future road accident.

Combined with other symptoms, information on a patient's driving may help inform a diagnosis. The team showed how adding data from GPS trackers to standard age and memory tests, along with other demographic factors, enabled the researchers to accurately detect cognitive decline among individuals with preexisting mild cognitive impairment (MCI) 87 percent of the time.

"Early identification of older drivers w

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