Can Posit Science programs be used on a personal computer?
Yes! Please visit BrainHQ.com to try them.
Why are the exercises computer based?
Improving brain health relies on substantial and precise practice. A tool that can deliver stimuli accurately, track performance gains and adjust task difficulties in accordance with each person’s progress is key to efficient training. That’s why we use computers. Hundreds of people who have used our programs in studies have never used a computer before.…
With so much science built into your exercises, will they be difficult for people to use?
While our programs are highly complex, algorithmically defined and measured down to milliseconds, the rigorous science that goes into the creation of the programs will be largely invisible to the person using it. This person will find them easy to use and even entertaining.
Why does Posit Science have more than one suite for brain fitness?
The brain is probably the most complex piece of machinery in the world. It has many diverse systems with unique exercise needs. To achieve widespread brain fitness, you must work out different areas of the brain. Part of the reason that Posit Science has a 40-person Scientific Advisory Board is that they each bring their…
Who will want to use Posit Science programs?
We think that everyone who wants to keep their mind vital or do something to improve their cognitive performance will want to use our programs. For some people, it may be to address concerns about decline. For others, it may be to “keep their edge” or even enhance their skills.
What prompted your research and program development effort?
Dr. Merzenich’s early research demonstrated that it was possible to generate physical changes in the brain to restore missing brain function. As time passed and computer technology improved, Dr. Merzenich had a key insight: advanced methods of training could be created and delivered on computers to induce beneficial brain changes in human populations. Computer-based training…
What do the programs include?
Our scientists have designed comprehensive computer-based programs that involve education about the brain, assessments of the user’s cognitive status, training exercises, incentives and rewards to encourage regular use and completion, community support and additional opportunities for learning and improvement. We build these programs with the user’s experience in mind. They are designed to be enjoyable…
Does the ACTIVE study mean that any form of cognitive training is effective?
No. The scientists who developed the training programs used in the ACTIVE study made very specific decisions regarding the specific details of those training programs. The study demonstrated that these training programs provided correspondingly specific and unique benefits. For example, only participants in the reasoning training program showed improvements on reasoning skills, and only participants in the…
What types of control activities have been used in trials of your technology?
Different control activities are used in different trials. We use control activities that ensure that the improvements that we see in individuals using our training program are specifically due to the unique science of our training programs, and not, for example, due to a “placebo effect” (meaning that participants show improvements just because they believe the…
Do you plan additional randomized controlled trials on your programs?
Absolutely. We run studies to validate our claims, expand the claims we’ve already validated and to advance the science in the field. We have many randomized controlled trials planned and currently underway and we support many independent researchers in this area.