Dr. Sherrilene Classen (PI) and her team (Dr. Hongwu Wang Co-PI, Jason Rogers, Beth Gibson and Sueng-Woo Hwangbo) received funding to examine the effects of fermented papaya product (FPP) on the driving performance, of community dwelling older adults, using a high-fidelity driving simulator.
Driving rehabilitation interventions, may enable older adults to stay on the road longer and safer. These may include cognitive training, behind-the-wheel training (e.g., to sharpen driving skills), training in a driving simulator, adaptive equipment (e.g., installation of hand controls), high tech equipment (e.g., electronic components to maneuver aspects of the vehicle via push button modes); and more recently, prescription of advanced driver assistance systems (e.g., adaptive cruise control for speed control and maintaining following distance), or in-vehicle information systems (e.g., back up cameras to assist in neck range of motion limitations). However, these specialized training services are expensive, require out of pocket payment, and are not ubiquitously available or accessible in the U.S. Up until now, no product that promotes cognitive function, to potentially curtail normal cognitive aging and its deleterious effects on driving performance, has been investigated. Papaya, the fruit of the Carica papaya plant, was traditionally used as a medicinal fruit—and recent studies suggested that fermented papaya preparation (FPP ®) has proven to be an excellent antioxidant and an excellent nutraceutical adjuvant in combined therapies against several diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, allergic reactions, anticancer activity, and anemias.
Dr. Classen comments: “While FPP shows promise as a functional food supplement for promoting health and wellness, few studies have examined its functional efficacy, and its potential impact on driving performance is yet to be assessed—until now. If the benefits of the FPP carries over to improved driving performance, we will be able to assess that in a driving simulator. Therefore, if we have positive findings, this study may have global significance for older adults who are taking FPP to continue to stay on the road, longer and safer”.
The study will start in January 2025 and is being funded by the OSATA Research Institute.