UCI: Bad driving might be genetic

Is a tendency toward poor driving in one’s genes?

UC Irvine neuroscientists say it might. They found that people with a certain gene variant — present in about 30% of Americans — performed 20% worse on a simulated driving test than those without the variant.

The test wasn’t limited to a single experience; those with the gene variant performed just as poorly on a second test four days later.

“These people make more errors from the get-go, and they forget more of what they learned after time away,” Steven Cramer, a UCI neurology associate professor, said in a release. He is the senior author of a study on the findings, published recently in the journal Cerebral Cortex.

The gene variant that ostensibly affects driving ability limits the availability of a certain protein in the brain during an activity.

The protein, known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, is secreted in brain areas related to particular tasks, in order to help brain cells communicate, UCI said.

But for those with the gene variant, a smaller part of the brain receives the protein; those with the variant also don’t recover as well following a stroke. There is currently no commercial test to determine whether someone has the gene variant.

“We wanted to study motor behavior, something more complex than finger- tapping,” said Stephanie McHughen, a graduate student and lead author of the study. “Driving seemed like a good choice because it has a learning curve and it’s something most people know how to do.”

Twenty-nine people took the test; 22 didn’t have the variant, and seven did. They were asked to use a simulator to drive 15 laps programmed with difficult curves and turns, and researchers studied how well they stayed on the course over time.

People with the variant performed worse than those without it, and remembered less about the course the second time they took the test four days later. However, studies have found that those who have the variant as well as a neurodegenerative disease are able to retain mental sharpness longer.

“It’s as if nature is trying to determine the best approach,” Cramer said. “If you want to learn a new skill or have had a stroke and need to regenerate brain cells, there’s evidence that having the variant is not good.

“But if you’ve got a disease that affects cognitive function, there’s evidence it can act in your favor. The variant brings a different balance between flexibility and stability.”