Taxi drivers rarely die of Alzheimer's
A 2024 study of 9 million death certificates suggests that taxi and ambulance drivers have a lower risk of dying from Alzheimer's disease compared to other professions. Researchers hypothesize that the complex spatial reasoning and mental mapping required for these jobs may provide cognitive protection.
Why it matters
These findings contribute to the growing body of research on how cognitive stimulation and environmental factors can influence long-term brain health.
Figuring out a circuitous route between point A to point B can strengthen your brain. justhavealook/iStock via Getty Images Plus Taxi drivers rarely die of Alzheimer’s – how complex mental maps and spatial reasoning protect your brain Published: August 6, 2026 8:35am EDT https://theconversation.com/taxi-drivers-rarely-die-of-alzheimers-how-complex-mental-maps-and-spatial-reasoning-protect-your-brain-286650 https://theconversation.com/taxi-drivers-rarely-die-of-alzheimers-how-complex-mental-maps-and-spatial-reasoning-protect-your-brain-286650 Link copied Share article Share article
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Taxi and ambulance drivers are less likely than workers in almost any other job to die of Alzheimer’s disease . That was the surprising result of a 2024 study examining the death certificates of nearly 9 million people in the U.S.
These findings stopped me in my tracks because those two jobs rely on the same thing as my own work: maps.
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