There are changes in the immune system

An important discovery regarding the first signs of Alzheimer's was made by scientists at the University of Munich. In a study, they found that abnormalities in the immune system can be observed around seven years before the first symptoms appear. The behavior of the so-called phagocytes changes. They are less active. The experts suspect that they have a protective function in healthy people. This is why they are now researching active substances that get the phagocytes back on track.

As dementia develops gradually, it is advisable to pay more attention to possible early signs of Alzheimer's in everyday life, including in the car. After all, the first symptoms can also become noticeable there. If the person concerned increasingly loses their orientation when driving. If they repeatedly have problems operating the clutch. Or if they are increasingly honked at because of their dangerous driving behavior.

In addition to dementia, there are of course other causes of impaired driving ability, especially in older road users. For example, they may drink too little water, which significantly reduces their ability to concentrate and react.

Hearing problems also increase the risk of accidents

Hearing and vision problems can also reduce the ability to drive. Furthermore, increased breathing interruptions at night (so-called sleep apnoea). The reason: those affected do not recover and are very tired during the day, which greatly increases the risk of falling asleep behind the wheel. You also need to be careful with side effects of medication. Because they can also make driving difficult - or even impossible! Dizziness, for example. It's better to play it safe and study the package leaflet in advance. Or talk to your pharmacist about the issue.