Driving a manual is good for the brain and could reduce dementia risk – study

Driving a car with a manual gearbox – such as a Ford Mustang or Mazda MX-5 – is good for your brain function and could even help reduce the risk of dementia, according to a new study from a Japanese university.

Professor Ryuta Kawashima of Tohoku University, who is described as a leader in 'brain training' and has previously helped develop Nintendo Brain Age games, found that driving a vehicle with a traditional three-pedal manual transmission can bring a raft of benefits to the human brain, reports BestCarWeb.

The professor's study found the process of shifting gears and using a clutch pedal – while managing the accelerator pedal – stimulates the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is responsible for complex, high-level decision-making and memory.

Describing it as something of a brain workout, he said driving a manual vehicle regularly has "a significant effect on maintaining mental health and cognitive function" as it "puts a better load on the brain's cognitive functions than a passive automatic transmission".

Such workouts can be a step towards warding off ageing and disorders such as dementia – the leading cause of death for Australians.

According to Dementia Australia, an estimated 446,500 Australians are living with dementia, including 29,000 people with young-onset dementia (aged 18–65) and 1500 children.

Dementia Australia estimates that around 1.7 million Australians are taking care of someone with some form of the disease.

Speaking to CarExpert in Sydney in May 2026, Nismo CEO Yutaka Sanada said consumer demand for manuals is returning, with Nissan New Zealand still offering a manual transmission in its Z sports coupe – a rival for the Mustang and MX-5.

Other auto brands still offering vehicles with a manual transmission in local showrooms, most commonly found in light commercial vehicles and enthusiast models such as the Hyundai i20 N hot hatch, Toyota GR86 coupe, Porsche 911, and BMW M models.

BMW M boss Frank van Meel told CarExpert earlier this year the brand intended to continue offering the six-speed manual gearbox currently available in the M2.