The Knowledge – this is the name of a legendary test London taxi cab drivers need to take to be able to work in one of the largest and most significant cities in Europe. Despite the fact that we have easy access to satnav systems now, London cab drivers are required to know 25,000 street names and over 20,000 landmarks and be able to find the most efficient ways between them. And this is why a new UCL-led research team will be studying London taxi drivers’ brains for Alzheimer’s research.
The Knowledge test was introduced in 1865 and is still relevant today. Yes, London black cab drivers are using satellite navigation, but they need to be able to work efficiently and quickly despite the circumstances. Taxi cabs are an integral way of public transport in the capital of the UK and many important people rely on their precision and efficiency to commute. Sometimes streets may be blocked by traffic, accidents or construction and cab drivers need to have the knowledge of the city to adapt to any circumstances.
In order to be able to memorize that kind of information you need to have a well-developed hippocampus. This brain area is responsible for memory and is often one of the first areas damaged in Alzheimer’s disease. Previous studies have shown that London cab drivers have larger, more developed hippocampus regions in their brains. Scientists hope that these hippocampuses will be easier to study.
Hippocampus is one of the first things to be damaged by the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. With time the hippocampus shrinks and wastes away, which manifests in such Alzheimer’s symptoms as loss of memory, confusion and, very importantly, trouble navigating even through familiar landscapes. Scientists believe that these symptoms may emerge decades after the real onset of the disease. Scientists hope that MRI scans of London taxi cab drivers as well as questionnaires and other data will help them understand the function of the hippocampus better, which could lead to the discovery of new drug targets for Alzheimer’s treatments.
Dr Laura Phipps, researcher in this study from Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Problems with coordination and getting lost can be one of the first symptoms in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Studying London taxi drivers provides a unique opportunity to understand these early changes, with the hope of improving early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in future.”
Driving a taxi cab in London is a very interesting and challenging job that not many people can do. Unique abilities of these professionals could offer unexpected opportunities for science. Maybe, for example, researchers will find new ways of detecting Alzheimer’s disease very early – decades before most noticeable symptoms emerge.
Source: UCL
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