{"id":46756,"date":"2025-12-03T08:00:06","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T07:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/?p=46756"},"modified":"2025-12-03T15:13:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T14:13:11","slug":"driving-after-a-stroke-a-hungarian-method-can-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/2025\/12\/driving-after-a-stroke-a-hungarian-method-can-help\/","title":{"rendered":"Driving after a stroke? A Hungarian method can help"},"content":{"rendered":"
Researchers at Semmelweis University have developed a new model to better predict whether people who have had a stroke are fit to drive. The study<\/a>, published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases<\/em>, combines the results of several complementary tests, giving a clearer picture of a patient\u2019s cognitive abilities and helping avoid incorrect decisions that could lead to losing a driver\u2019s license.\u00a0<\/div>\n

\nThe research conducted by the Rehabilitation Clinic of Semmelweis University involved 115 patients. First, they were tested for concentration, reaction time, knowledge of traffic rules, and spatial neglect. On another research day, each participant had to drive for 40 minutes in real traffic, and at the end of the test a driving examiner-instructor evaluated whether they had passed or failed. <\/p>\n

The researchers collected the data from the cognitive tests, built computer models based on them, and determined which model could most accurately predict the outcome of the on-road driving test.<\/p>\n

They have found that the most accurate prediction came from the combination of tests that assessed knowledge of traffic rules, decision-making ability, reaction time, and spatial neglect.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Of those whom the model said could not drive, 88% failed, while 98% of those whom the model said could drive passed \u2014 and the examiner was unaware of the cognitive test results beforehand.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\nOverall, the model correctly identified whether a patient was fit to drive in 85% of cases \u2014 an obvious improvement over earlier international methods that were only 70\u201380% reliable.
\nFor the remaining 15%, the team added an \u201cuncertain\u201d category. These patients need more targeted testing to clearly determine their ability to drive. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cOur aim was to build a statistical model that places patients into three groups \u2014 fit, unfit, or uncertain \u2014 to help doctors make more accurate decisions and reduce the risk of mistakes,\u201d said G\u00e1bor Szab\u00f3, neuropsychologist and first author of the study published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The new \u2018cautious\u2019 approach \u2014 with the three groups fit, unfit, and uncertain \u2014 helps reduce incorrect decisions because the uncertain cases receive additional, detailed assessments. This means fewer people lose their driver\u2019s license without a valid reason.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\nAnother key finding of the study is that the115 patients included 26 people with neglect syndrome. Among them, 12 passed the test drive even though they have reduced spatial awareness.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

\nBut this doesn\u2019t mean they would drive safely in longer or more complicated situations \u2014 they could be like a \u2018ticking time bomb\u2019 on the road. We have found that even if someone passes the test drive, they may still not be truly fit to drive. This is also a novelty at the international level, because patients with spatial neglect are usually not included in this type of research. \u2014 G\u00e1bor Szab\u00f3\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\nThe Semmelweis approach is forward-looking in another way as well, even by international standards. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cIt can be useful to assess a patient\u2019s cognitive state with this new data-analysis method as part of the rehabilitation program. It shows what needs improvement, and then these areas can be developed in the following period. At the end, another assessment can show the progress,\u201d said Dr. G\u00e1bor Fazekas, professor at the Rehabilitation Clinic and lead researcher of the study. <\/p>\n

At the most recent European Forum for Research in Rehabilitation (EFRR) congress, which featured a session on driving abilities, experts responded positively to the new Hungarian analysis model.\u00a0<\/p>\n

R\u00f3bert Cseszregi
\nPhoto: Bogl\u00e1rka Zellei – Semmelweis University\u00a0
\nCover: iStock by Getty Images\/Daviles, iStock by Getty Images\/sudok1\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The model developed by Semmelweis University researchers gives a more detailed picture of the affected individuals\u2019 cognitive state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":102533,"featured_media":46762,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[129,270,286],"tags":[261,29],"class_list":["post-46756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-other","category-x-nyitolap","tag-press","tag-research"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102533"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46756"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46756\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46839,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46756\/revisions\/46839"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}