The Brain's Full Potential is Being Unlocked by Businesses Everywhere

Working Memory (WM) capacity has been linked to performance on a wide range of elementary and higher order cognitive tasks. Due to evidence suggesting that NeuroTracker speed thresholds are an indicator of the quality of high-level brain function, and because it is an adaptive task, the researchers selected NeuroTracker to investigate whether training could improve WM capacities. A further reason was to test a training approach with short intervention times for practical military implementations for the Canadian Armed Forces.

41 soldiers in the Canadian Armed Forces volunteered for the study. First they were tested on three WM span tasks: word (verbal) span, matrix span, and visual span, establishing a baseline measure for each test. Participants were then distributed evenly into 3 groups based on demographic and cognitive factors,Experimental group: performed 10 NeuroTracker Core sessions over a 2 week periodActive control group: performed an adaptive dual n-back task over a 2 week period Passive control group: No activity over a 2 week periodAt the end of the two weeks, the three WM span tests were retaken.

For the NeuroTracker group, speeds thresholds increased considerably over the 10 sessions, and training resulted in a significant pre-post increase in word span, matrix span, and visual span, with medium to large effect sizes. In contrast, for the active control, group training did not alter any of the WM span measures. Similarly, WM span measures did not alter for the passive control group. The researchers concluded that a short amount of NeuroTracker training can benefit WM capacity in a military sample. Additionally, the consistent NeuroTracker improvements across each type of WM span reflect a primarily domain-general construct (a generality of WM capacity).

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To investigate the extent to which older people's abilities predict biological motion cues to declines with natural aging, and to see if any such effects can be reversed through a NeuroTracker training intervention.

41 older adults with mean age of 68yrs old were divided into trained, active control (placebo), and passive control (no training) groups. They were measured on a standardized BMP post training, which consisted of 15 NeuroTracker sessions distributed over 5 weeks.

Only the NeuroTracker trained group showed transfer to BMP, who demonstrated substantial improvements in processing BMP at 4m. The conclusion was a clear and positive transfer of perceptual-cognitive training onto a socially relevant ability in the elderly.

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To examine the effects of NeuroTracker training on standardised measures of attention, working memory, and visual information processing speed using standardized neuropsychological tests. Additionally to measure changes in brain state using functional brain imaging.

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20 university-aged students were recruited and divided into an NT training group (30 sessions of NeuroTracker) and a non-active control group. Cognitive functions were assessed using standardized neuropsychological tests (IVA+Plus, WAIS-III, D-KEFS), and correlates of brain functions were assessed using quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG).

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The trained group showed strong and consistent improvements in NeuroTracker speed thresholds throughout the training period. The NT group demonstrated significantly higher scores on the IVA+Plus Auditory, WAIS Symbol Search, WAIS Code, WAIS Block Design, WAIS Letter-Number Sequence, d2 Test of Attention, and D-KEFS Color Naming, Inhibition and Inhibition/Switching subtests (P < .01). For qEEG measures the NT group demonstrated significant relative power increases in a range of frequencies within the beta bandwidth, with both eyes open and closed resting states. These changes were observed across frontal regions of the brain (executive function) and represented increases in brain wave speed associated with heightened brain activity and neuroplasticity. Overall results indicated that NeuroTracker training can enhance attention, information processing speed, and working memory, and also lead to positive changes in neuroelectric brain function.

This paper covers foundational concepts of NeuroTracker’s relevance to training of cognitive capacities deemed critical in sports performance, particularly in dynamic team-sports. It also contains a study investigating the effects of attentional loads in learning paradigms, with the aim of understanding optimal load conditions for training perceptual-cognitive ability.

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4 elite professional sports teams trained their athletes on NeuroTracker (15-30 sessions) during their competition seasons. An English Premier Team club, a National Hockey League team, and a European Rugby team were all trained in the standard sitting down position to isolate any influence from attentional mechanisms involved in posture control. Another NHL team performed the training in standing position, involving basic balance demands on attention.

Taking the statistical average for learning progression on NeuroTracker, the three professional sports teams training in sitting position showed near identical progression, with rapid early learning slowing down towards longer term but continued learning. The standing sports team showed much lower NeuroTracker scores, but more importantly slower overall learning progression, with a large magnitude of difference to the other teams. The findings clearly demonstrate the link between balance control mechanisms and perceptual-cognitive demands solicited by NeuroTracker training. This demonstrates that cognitive training loads need to be sensitively optimized to attentional thresholds in order to generate effective short and longer term learning adaptations.

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To determine if variance in hydration status would be associated with cognitive performance, as assessed by NeuroTracker.

121 participants performed 15 NeuroTracker sessions across 10 days of visits to the laboratory. On the days of training, recent fluid intake, urine color (Urine color scale, UC), and body water (BIA) were documented.

Individuals with average urine color indicating good hydration performed significantly worse on NeuroTracker than those with a borderline dehydrated indicator, as based on urine color. Participants with no recent beverage consumption performed significantly better than those who had recently consumed water, tea, coffee , and milk. The researchers suggested that optimal hydration may not occur at the highest values of the urine color scale possibly due to moderate hyponatremia and hemodilution that could impact NeuroTracker performance.

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This study investigated the effects of a simulated game-situation cognitive load (NeuroTracker) on lower limb biomechanics, using a landing task relevant to straining of the Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). ACL injuries are known to be one of the most sports common injuries, and occurrence has been linked to cognitive factors.

7 college level healthy athletes (soccer, volleyball, football) performed 16 single-leg landing trials involving a jump forward and a lateral jump to the opposing leg. These movements were measured via force plates and motion capture of the legs and pelvis using 36 markers. The NeuroTracker task was assigned randomly to half of the trials (dual-task procedure), with jumps performed during the tracking phase.

While NeuroTracking hip and/or knee kinematics measurements were significantly different for all participants. The largest change was found with knee abduction angle, known to be most associated to ACL injury. Of the 7 participants, 4 showed biomechanical changes from the added NeuroTracker task that revealed increased ACL strain associated with ACL injury. Based on the preliminary findings, the researchers hypothesize that a NeuroTracker training intervention may reduce risk on of non-contact ACL injury, and will perform a larger study with more detailed biomechanical analysis.

3D vision (binocular stereo) develops during childhood and tends to reduce after 65 years of age. This study aimed to investigate whether these effects are significant when processing complex and dynamic motion.

Three groups of 20 subjects were recruited: children (7–12 years old), adults (18–40 years old) and older adults (≥65 years old). Each person completed 4 NeuroTracker sessions, 2 in 2D (no binocular stereo) and 2 in 3D (with binocular stereo).

As typical, adults achieved significantly higher NeuroTracker scores than children or elderly. They also gained a significantly larger advantage when performing NeuroTracker in 3D. In turn, children showed more advantage with 3D than elderly. This suggests that older populations have reduced ability to process complex and dynamic motion using stereoscopic processing. This study reveals that comparison between scores with and without stereoscopic effect, allows direct evaluation of the stereopsis advantage when performing NeuroTracker.

To investigate the ‘selfish brain hypothesis’, which suggests the brain prioritizes its own glucose needs over those of the peripheral organs such as skeletal muscle, using individual and dual-task assessments with NeuroTracker and exercise on a cycle ergometer.

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32 participants were randomly assigned to a no priority, cognitive priority (focus on NeuroTracker task), or physical priority (focus on physical task) group. NeuroTracker and a cycle ergometer were used to measure cognition and physical performance, respectively. Participants completed 5 assessments: 2 cognitive, 1 predicted VO2 max, and 1 dual task. During the dual task participants completed 3 NeuroTracker sessions, while cycling on a cycle ergometer. The cycle ergometer was modified to remove demands on balance, isolating aerobic demands.

Results revealed that the physical priority group had significantly higher cycle ergometer performance compared to the cognitive priority group. However, overall physical performance remained relatively stable throughout the physical and dual task assessments. All groups experienced improvements in their visual tracking speed scores as they progressed through the study. No evidence was found to support the selfish brain hypothesis during dual task performance, in contrast results may indicate an arousal effect from physical exercise, heightening NeuroTracker performance compared to single task performance.

To examine the practical efficacy of cognitive enhancement interventions through a gold-standard template for assessing use of such tools, and to assess NeuroTracker evidence against the template for enhancing attention, working memory and visual information processing speed.

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To assess cognitive tools and NeuroTracker specifically against the following gold-standard criteria and with qEEG findings on changes in neuroelectric brain activity: 1. Robust transfer effects, 2. No Side Effects or Risk of Toxicity, 3. Minimal time and monetary investment, 4) Lasting effects, 5) No ethical issues, 6) Can be used in combination with other interventions, 7) Can be applied to any population.

3-hours of training over 5-weeks with NeuroTracker demonstrated robust effects on attention, working memory, and visual information processing speed as measured by neuropsychological tests. Corresponding changes measured by qEEG were also corroborated these intervention effects. NeuroTracker was concluded to meet the gold standard criteria in points 1, 2, 3, and 5, with some evidence to support the other points, but further research needed.