By Ines Aviles-Spadoni, M.S., Research Coordinator, UFTI
Researchers at the UF Institute for Driving, Activity, Participation, and Technology (I-DAPT) have been awarded a grant by the Osato Research Institute (ORI) in Japan to study how the effects of fermented papaya preparation (FPP®) impact the driving performance in older adults.
Led by Sherrilene Classen, professor and chair of the UF Department of Occupational Therapy and director of I-DAPT, the research team includes Hongwu Wang, Jason Rogers, Beth Gibson, Sandra Winter, and Sueng-Woo Hwangbo. The researchers will use a high-fidelity driving simulator located at Oak Hammock, an active retirement community associated with the University of Florida, to conduct the study.
“If the benefits of the FPP® carries over to improved driving performance, we will be able to assess that in a driving simulator,” Classen said.
Driving rehabilitation includes interventions that can help older adults maintain their independence and stay on the road longer and safer. These interventions may include cognitive and behind-the-wheel training, driving simulator-based training, adaptive equipment like hand controls, advanced driver assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control, or in-vehicle information systems such as backup cameras to assist those with limited neck movements.
While all these interventions are available, they are most effectively implemented through specialized driving rehabilitation training services, which are expensive, not generally covered by health insurance, and not ubiquitously available in the United States.
Limited research is available to assess products that promote cognitive function among the aging population, with no research indicating the carry-over of such products to enhance the performance of older adults behind the wheel. Well, until now.
Working with the ORI, a collaborative research institute specializing in healthy aging and the benefits of FPP®, Classen and her team are using a fermented papaya product derived from the tropical fruit of the Carica papaya plant to study its benefits on the cognitive function of older drivers.
“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,” Classen said.
To create FPP®, this tropical fruit undergoes a fermentation process that converts it into a nutraceutical. A nutraceutical is a food component that contains health benefits and antioxidant properties. When combined with treatments against diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, allergic reactions, cancer, and anemia, it can be used as a therapeutic aid.
With the study set to begin in January 2025, Classen and her team will evaluate whether the fermented papaya product can translate into improved driving for older adults with the added benefits of affordability and accessibility.
“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,” she said.