Enhance Your Brain Health with Digital Brain Training
Keeping your brain active is just as important as keeping your body fit. A recent study conducted by neurologists at McGill University in Canada has shown promising results for a digital brain exercise developed by the American biotech company, Posit Science Corporation.
The study involved 82 healthy adults over the age of 65 who were randomly assigned to either play Posit’s ‘BrainHQ’ app or a recreational computer game for thirty minutes a day. After 10 weeks, brain scans revealed that those who played BrainHQ showed measurable increases in cholinergic activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) – a region of the brain responsible for selective attention, inhibitory control, and memory.
According to neurologist Etienne de Villers-Sidani from McGill, the increase in cholinergic signaling was comparable to reversing ten years of aging in the brain. This is a significant finding as it is the first intervention, whether drug or non-drug, to demonstrate such results in humans.
The BrainHQ app, which focuses on speed-based challenges, is available for purchase through monthly and yearly subscriptions. Posit Science Corporation claims that the technology behind the app is backed by scientific evidence from hundreds of peer-reviewed papers.
While the preliminary evidence suggests that the app can positively impact the brain, further research is needed to determine the long-term effects on memory, attention, and learning in older individuals. The recent trial, although small and incentivized by profit, was rigorously designed and utilized advanced brain scanning techniques in collaboration with McGill neurologists.
Enhancing the cholinergic system through brain training could potentially improve common aging symptoms such as memory loss. However, larger and more diverse trials are necessary to fully understand the implications of these findings.
The authors of the study believe that implementing effective strategies to support brain health could lead to reduced healthcare costs, increased workforce participation, and improved quality of life. The promising results of this study pave the way for future trials to further explore the benefits of cognitive training.
The study was published in JMIR Serious Games and represents a significant step forward in understanding the impact of digital brain training on cognitive function.
