Processing Speed
The rate at which you take in new information, reach judgment on it, and formulate a response. For example, seeing a car run a light and responding by slamming on the brakes.
Neuroscience research has uncovered how malleable the brain is, even for people with genetic markers for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. New scientific evidence reveals how targeted lifestyle changes can benefit brain health both now and in the future.
Neurotrack's clinically-validated cognitive screening tools are designed to help individuals assess, monitor, and strengthen their brain health over time.
Neurotrack's team of neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, and engineers have developed a clinically-validated suite of cognitive assessments that leverage haptic and eye-tracking technology. These digital assessments, taken regularly and over time, can serve as an early detection tool for identifying cognitive changes early.
Our technology builds on the groundbreaking research of renowned neuroscientist and Neurotrack's co-founder, Dr. Stuart Zola, whose breakthrough clinical study on Alzheimer's disease showed that eye movements, tracked through a camera, reveal important data about the state of our cognitive health and its potential for decline in the future.
Our assessments measure multiple cognitive domains (and the brain has many!) and provide a detailed report of one's cognitive condition.
The rate at which you take in new information, reach judgment on it, and formulate a response. For example, seeing a car run a light and responding by slamming on the brakes.
The ability to recognize previously encountered events, objects, or people. When you see a face at a coffee shop and remember it’s the guy who sat behind you in high school geometry, that’s recognition memory.
The process of learning the link between items and concepts. Some examples are learning a new coworker's name, or learning that the sound of a siren means an emergency vehicle is near.
Related to Associative Learning, this is the ability to remember the relationship between items. For example, smelling smoke and knowing that something must be burning on the stove, or walking down your street and knowing that this is where you live.
Your ability to control your thoughts and actions. For example, not looking at your phone while you are getting important work done, or stopping yourself from eating that second slice of chocolate cake.
Your ability to process information.
Examples include listening to your partner in a restaurant while ignoring everyone else (selective attention), watching a movie (sustained attention), talking to a passenger while driving (divided attention), or reading a recipe and cooking a meal (alternating attention).
Your ability to get tasks done. Planning a vacation, organizing household items, switching your thoughts from one task on your to-do list to another are all examples of executive function.
The FINGER study (The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability) was a multi-year study of 1,200 adults at risk for cognitive decline. People who engaged in a multi-domain lifestyle intervention, including diet, exercise, and cognitive training, demonstrated improved cognitive performance.
This landmark study provides strong scientific evidence that targeted intervention can positively impact cognition over time – even in people who are at risk for decline. The FINGER study has been adapted on a global scale, with clinical studies taking place in multiple countries. Read more about World Wide FINGERS.
Our Cognitive Health Program is modeled after the multi-domain intervention that was proven to be effective in the FINGER study. Six lifestyle-related domains are included in our program, all of which are considered modifiable risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer's.
A year-long Phase 1 trial of the Neurotrack Cognitive Health Program demonstrated improvements in cognitive function, relief from depression, and a reduction in anxiety among older adults who were at-risk of cognitive impairment.
Neurotrack is always investing in its clinical research. In 2019, the company received a $3.3 million grant from the National Institute on Aging, a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, to conduct a Phase II trial to further validate Neurotrack’s Cognitive Health Program.
This research, the Digital Cognitive Multi-domain Alzheimer's Risk Velocity (DC MARVel) led by Dr. Michelle Gray, is underway at the University of Arkansas. The protocol for this randomized controlled trial was published in JMIR Research Protocols in February 2022.
Currently, there is no cure for dementia-related diseases like Alzheimer's. Clinical trials in the past two decades have seen numerous failures with only a handful of drugs approved for Alzheimer's treatment1. The majority of these FDA-approved drugs only treat the symptoms of the disease2 and the most recently approved medication that aims to modify disease progression is highly controversial and has unclear efficacy3.
So, what can you do?
It's not rocket science, but it is brain science. Neurotrack invests in and leverages the latest neuroscience research to deliver convenient, digital solutions to help businesses and individuals better manage their cognitive health for customers and themselves.
1. Stone, G. (2018). Researching Alzheimer’s medicines: Setbacks and stepping stones. Retrieved from Alzheimer’s Disease International website: https://www.alz.co.uk/sites/de...
2. Mayo Clinic. (2019, April 19). Alzheimer's: Drugs help manage symptoms. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/dis...
3. Park, A. Law, T. (2021, August 5). Inside the controversy around Biogen's Alzheimer's drug. Retrieved from https://time.com/6081333/bioge...