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To analyze the effectiveness of NeuroTracker training to improve sports vision and cognitive performance using a progressive single and dual-task training protocol.

37 elite water polo (13), taekwondo (12) and tennis elite athletes (12) completed 26 NeuroTracker sessions progressing from single-task training to progressively complex dual-task training. Pre and post training all athletes underwent a comprehensive battery of optometric vision assessments. Throughout the training program both athletes and their coaches completed frequent visual-analogue questionnaire assessments to assess changes in concentration, perception speed and peripheral vision performance.

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Overall NeuroTracker learning rates were high. Although scores initially dropped on progressing to more complex dual-task motor-skills, performance recovered quickly to the level expected with single-task performance. This that dual-task training methods with NeuroTracker can efficiently consolidate new skills into using a progressive overload methodology. Post-training assessments revealed a statistically significant gains in most visual abilities, including static visual acuity, stereopsis, spatial contrast sensitivity, saccadic ocular movements, and visual selective attention. Transfer to related sports performance abilities was seen with both coach and athlete questionnaire assessments, with consistently significant improvements throughout the program. Although the athletes tended to rate their performance higher than coaches, their improvement ratings were close to identical.

To investigate if NeuroTracker training can improve perceptual-cognitive skills related to decision-making skills for law enforcement officers.

40 elite law enforcement officers completed a pre-post test experiment on a video based simulated task environment to establish baseline scores for situational awareness, anticipation and decision-making skills. Participants were randomly assigned to training, control and passive groups. The training group completed NeuroTracker sessions around duty schedules over a period of three-weeks. Pre- and post-testing was scored by five police procedures subject-matter-experts.

The simulated task results showed an average decline in scores, the control participants remained unchanged, while the NeuroTracker group showed moderate increases. Improvements in NeuroTracker scores were observed overall, but varied atypically. Although some far transfer effects to law enforcement decision-making abilities were seen, fatigue and stress-related effects of active duty may have influenced results.

To assess the performance transfer effects from NeuroTracker training to professional baseball hitting over a competition season.

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12 Japanese pro baseball players from the Seibu Lions performed NeuroTracker training at their own preferred timing and frequency over 5 months, completing up to 80 sessions each. Throughout this duration and 4 months prior, competition hitting metrics were recorded: zone contact, zone-swing strike, outside swing, outside-swing strike.

On average the baseball players’ NeuroTracker speed threshold scores improved by around 30%, with no ceiling effects from continued training. Metrics on fastball hitting showed no significant changes. However, metrics on non-fastball hitting (e.g. curve balls and sliders) revealed strong positive effects. Successful hit rate increased by +12%, while zone swing and outside swing strikes were reduced substantially by -25.3% and -26.5% respectively. Outside swings were also positively reduced by -9.6%.

To investigate if the typically declining perceptual-cognitive abilities of healthy older people can be improved with NeuroTracker training.

20 younger adults (mean age 27 years old) and 20 older adults (mean age 66 years old) completed 3-hours of NeuroTracker training distributed over 3 weeks.

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Although older adults had significantly lower NeuroTracker scores than older adults, they demonstrated a strong learning response to the training, equivalent to their younger peers. By the end of the training program the older adults closely matched the initial baseline performance of younger adults. Although the results demonstrate a decline in perceptual-cognitive functions from healthy aging, the results suggest this decline can be quickly reversed with a short training intervention.

To evaluate the impact of the nutritional impact of dietary intake of whole eggs, egg white, and egg yolk on visual cognitive performance (NeuroTracker) in healthy older adults.

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99 healthy men and women aged 50 to 75 years were randomly assigned to one of five groups with different daily consumption of eggs alongside a record of their usual dietary intake. Over 1-month period participants either consumed four egg whites, two whole regular eggs, two whole omega-3-fortified eggs, four egg yolks, or no eggs (control). During the final 2 weeks of the study all participants completed 15 NeuroTracker.

On average male participants performed significantly better at NeuroTracker than females. All participants on egg-based diets performed significantly better across 2-weeks of NeuroTracker training than the no-egg controls. Findings suggest that whole eggs, egg whites and egg yolks are beneficial for visual cognitive performance in healthy older adults.

To investigate if NeuroTracker training can improve archery concentration performance at moment of shooting.

20 archers in an archery club were divided into two control groups. Over 12 visits the one group completed NeuroTracker training, while the other group completed conventional archery training. Pre-post assessments of concentration were completed by both groups using the Concentration Grid Test.

‍There was a significant transfer effect from both the NeuroTracker training and the conventional training on the improvement of the archery athlete’s concentration, however NeuroTracker training demonstrated stronger post-training improvements on the Concentration Grid Test across mean, standard deviation and gain scores. The researchers conclude NeuroTracker could be an effective training method to improve the concentration of archery athletes.

To investigate if a short NeuroTracker training intervention could improve high-level cognitive abilities in elderly populations.

46 participants, aged 63-87 years old completed pre-and-post neuropsychological assessments for selective attention, psychomotor speed, and cognitive flexibility. Active participants completed 21 NeuroTracker sessions (approx. 2 hours of training) over 7 weeks, between pre-and-posts tests. Controls did no training.

Controls showed no change in pre and post tests. In contrast the active NeuroTracker group experienced significant gains in cognitive flexibility, psychomotor speed, and selective attention, and similar improvements in a combined assessment of psychomotor speed and cognitive flexibility.The researchers concluded that NeuroTracker presents a promising tool for recovering and improving these high-level cognitive abilities in older populations.

To investigate the influence of dietary intake and sleep of esports athletes on cognitive performance and learning capacities measured by NeuroTracker.

119 esports athletes completed a rigorous battery of assessments over an 8-10 day period. This included a comprehensive range of 8 self-assessment surveys, a record of diet, fluid intake and urine color, continuous biometric monitoring of heartrate and sleep quality, and 20 sessions of NeuroTracker distributed over the period.

Average sleep quality was found to be in the range of moderate to severe sleep disturbance and most participants did not meet USDA guidelines for numerous key nutrients, as well as exceeding recommendations for cholesterol, sodium, and saturated fat. NeuroTracker baselines improved on average by around 50% by the end of the 20 sessions (similar to elite athletes). Higher NeuroTracker performance was strongly correlated with better sleep and dietary habits, and specifically, consuming the recommended intake of protein was closely tied to increased learning rates.

This study measured the capacity of older participants to improve their tracking speed thresholds (NeuroTracker), to investigate if age related cognitive decline can be reversed with a training intervention known to be directly relevant to the effects of healthy aging.

20 healthy younger adults (mean age 24 years old) and 20 healthy older adults (mean age 67 years old) performed 15 NeuroTracker training sessions distributed over 5 weeks.

Both groups obtained benefit from training with a similar rate of progression. Though the older group started off at a significantly lower level than the younger group, they obtained speed thresholds that were similar to those of untrained younger adults by the end of the training program. Furthermore, towards the end of the training program the rate of learning appeared to have slowed for the younger group, yet the older group still showed a strong learning curve, suggesting greater improvements with continued training. In conclusion, although healthy older people show a significant age-related deficit in the NeuroTracker task, they respond strongly to training effects and demonstrate an ability to fully reverse age-related functional decline with a short intervention of NeuroTracker training.