Project with driving simulator

​The driving simulator will be used in the DANSECT project to test how the cognitive function of research patients is. In addition, the plan is that it also will be used to test how much mental illness and psychopharmacological treatment affect cognitive function.

Mental illness can in some cases make driving a car an unmanageable task. This can both be a burden on social life, and at the same time it can possibly lead to dangerous situations in traffic.

A driving simulator is one of the closest things you can get to a real drive, but in a controlled situation.

At CNDR we have a driving simulator available. It consists of parts from a real car, such as pedals, steering wheel and driver's seat, so you get a good and reel driving experience. The simulation software allows us to measure a wide range of parameters and create specially designed simulation scenarios. For example, the weather and traffic can be manipulated, and "dangerous situations" can be created.

Purpose: The advantage of a driving simulator is that in a controlled situation you can assess the ability to drive a car. We will investigate whether you can routinely assess patients with mental illness's ability to drive, and the possibility of training this, using the driving simulator.

In the DANSECT project, the driving simulator will be included in validating objective and subjective complaints about cognitive impairment in ECT-treated patients with severe depression. When you are in a traffic situation you are exposed to a comprehensive cognitive task, the hope is that we can use the driving simulator as a measurment for testing the participants' cognitive level, as well as how it is affected by the severity of mental illness and psychopharmacological treatment.





​Foundations that support the project:

Gerhart Lind Legat

Responsible editor