Study: First Brain Fitness Tracker Validated for Aging Independently
Large Implications for Aging Research and Monitoring Abilities

San Francisco, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new study shows that a novel online assessment (here) provides a valid scientific measure of the cognitive abilities of older adults related to living independently. The self-administered assessment can be completed in four minutes on most internet-connected devices (phones, tablets, computers) — with large implications for monitoring and improving cognitive aging. The assessment was developed by Posit Science, the maker of BrainHQ brain training exercises and assessments, and it was examined as part of an NIH-funded study in collaboration with university-based researchers.

“This is a game-changer in our ability to monitor and manage successful aging,” observed Dr. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science. “Maintaining the ability to live independently is one of the greatest concerns about growing older, yet it’s rarely measured because of a lack of easily accessible tools. It can take a long time to schedule an office visit for a full battery of neuropsychological tests, and few people do so. Now, here’s a new tool you could use as a brain fitness tracker — to permit ongoing monitoring.”

The study examined whether a very short, self-administered, online test could provide a quick look at the “executive function” cognitive abilities of older adults. Executive function includes key cognitive building blocks (such as planning, flexibility, and inhibitory control), which underpin the goal-directed behaviors needed to maintain independent living.

“Clinician-administered batteries of cognition are the preferred source for insight into cognitive aging — especially to assist with diagnostic decisions,” said Dr. Mahncke. “We were looking for a brief, self-administered assessment that might be used, after an in-person examination (as it was in this study), for relatively quick, and perhaps more frequent, monitoring purposes.”

The study, conducted at McGill University, was designed to assess the usability and validity of Freeze Frame, a cognitive assessment available on the BrainHQ platform, in predicting executive function performance in healthy older adults. Performance on Freeze Frame was analyzed in relation to self-reported demographic variables and to neuropsychological function, using NIH-EXAMINER, a widely adopted measure of executive function.

Freeze Frame is designed to measure inhibitory control (a critical component of executive function), which is the rapid ability to suppress impulsive reactions in favor of task-relevant actions in rapidly changing environments — to support cognitive flexibility, working memory, and goal focus. 

In the Freeze Frame task, participants are presented a target image at the start of a block of trials, in which a rapid (often split-second) stream of targets and foils are presented. Participants withhold any response when presented with a target, and they enter a rapid response to each foil. Each block dynamically adjusts to become harder or easier depending on the participant’s performance, and to pinpoint an overall score. 

The study enrolled 92 healthy older adults (aged 65-83, average age 72). The study found that the Freeze Frame assessment significantly associated and positively correlated with the NIH EXAMINER executive function composite score. 

Because cognitive performance generally declines with age, and because women tend to exhibit slightly better executive function, the assessment (as expected) showed a small but statistically significant relationship to age and gender, but no such association with years of education. A psychometric evaluation supported its usability, with an average completion time of 4 minutes.

“We’ve been building and testing assessments for several years to provide more cognitive performance data to enable ongoing monitoring,” Dr. Mahncke added. “The beauty here is each assessment ties directly to our brain exercises, which have been shown to improve both cognitive function and performance of everyday tasks. This creates a path for monitoring and maintaining independent living.”

BrainHQ exercises have shown benefits in more than 300 studies. Such benefits include gains in cognition (attention, speed, memory, decision-making), in quality of life (depressive symptoms, confidence and control, health-related quality of life) and in real-world activities (health outcomes, balance, driving, workplace activities). BrainHQ is used by leading health and Medicare Advantage plans, by leading medical centers, clinics, and communities, and by elite athletes, the military, police, and other organizations focused on split-second peak performance. Consumers can try a BrainHQ exercise for free daily at https://www.brainhq.com. 

This research was supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers R44AG039965 and 3R44AG039965-06S1. This content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health

Novel Digital Test Provides Revolutionary Tool to Assess Brain Chemistry
Large Implications for Cognitive Aging and Dementia

San Francisco, July 7, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — For the first time, a study shows a digital assessment can provide a scientific measure of acetylcholine – a key brain chemical whose decline signals the progression of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. The assessment (here) can be self-administered and completed in about three minutes on internet-connected devices — with big implications for cognitive aging and dementia. The assessment was developed by Posit Science, the maker ofBrainHQ brain training exercises and assessments, and examined as part of an NIH-funded study in collaboration with researchers at McGill University.

“Currently, it’s impossible for doctors to monitor this brain chemical despite its importance because it requires expensive imaging equipment and special expertise available at few research centers,” said Dr. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science. “This breakthrough shows a new path for routine monitoring of brain health by doctors and individuals.” 

The brain’s neuromodulatory system produces brain chemicals that impact mood, learning, attention, responsiveness, and memory. Brain scientists have known for decades that the system (and its subsystems that produce various brain chemicals) operate more sluggishly (downregulate) with aging and various health conditions.

The assessment focuses on the cholinergic system — a subsystem that produces the brain chemical acetylcholine — sometimes called the “pay attention” chemical, because it is produced when you pay attention. The production of acetylcholine is known to down regulate with normal aging, and even more severely with pre-dementia and with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). 

Cholinergic function is recognized as a key biomarker of overall brain health, regulates the ability of the brain to change (“plasticity”), and is associated with stronger cognitive performance (in sensory processing, attention, learning, memory, and executive function). Poor cholinergic function is linked to the production of plaque and tangles associated with ADRD, as well deficits in other conditions.

Currently there is no easily accessible way to measure cholinergic function. No standardized blood test to directly measure it exists. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) brain imaging techniques can be used; however, this method is costly, requires specialized expertise, and exposes participants to radiation, limiting its use in clinical practice. 

“We developed a digital cognitive test to be a sensitive measure of brain health. To validate the test, we approached the researchers at The Neuro at McGill University, because it is one of a small number of places on the planet with the imaging technology to measure acetylcholine directly,” said Dr. Henry Mahncke. “In this study, they measured acetylcholine alongside cognitive performance using our assessment.”

The imaging study enrolled 92 healthy older adults (average age 72). Each was measured using: a BrainHQ assessment (Double Decision); two other validated neuropsychological assessments; and a PET scan using tracer to evaluate cholinergic neurotransmission.

The study showed better scores on the Double Decision assessment correlated with higher cholinergic function, indicating that the assessment could estimate cholinergic function without the complexity and risk of doing a PET scan. These results align with prior studies showing a significant relationship between cholinergic function and cognitive performance as measured by clinician-administered tools.

The assessment was brief, taking an average of 3 minutes to complete, and demonstrated good usability with reasonable descriptive and psychometric properties. It was sensitive to age within the narrow band measured of 65-83 years and was not influenced by demographic factors such as years of education or gender. 

The researchers conclude: “The results support the adoption of this scalable form of biomarker-informed cognitive assessment available to individuals with an internet-connected device.”

“These researchers also are looking at whether our brain exercises can upregulate acetylcholine, which would have a tremendous impact on cognitive aging and ADRD research,” Dr. Mahncke added. “We look forward to learning more.

BrainHQ exercises have shown benefits in more than 300 studies. Such benefits include gains in cognition (attention, speed, memory, decision-making), in quality of life (depressive symptoms, confidence and control, health-related quality of life) and in real-world activities (health outcomes, balance, driving, workplace activities). BrainHQ is used by leading health and Medicare Advantage plans, by leading medical centers, clinics, and communities, and by elite athletes, the military, and other organizations focused on peak performance. Consumers can try a BrainHQ exercise for free daily at https://www.brainhq.com. 

This research was supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers R44AG039965 and 3R44AG039965-06S1. This content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health

Did 24 Coke-Funded Studies on Childhood Obesity Fail to Disclose Coke’s Influence?

How accurate were conflict of interest disclosures in at least 40 childhood obesity studies funded by The Coca-Cola Company? Not so accurate, according to a paper published in the Journal of Public Health Policy that analyzed studies from the International Study of Childhood Obesity, Lifestyle and the Environment (ISCOLE), funded with a $6.4 million grant from Coca-Cola.

The ISCOLE study found that physical inactivity is a key predictor for childhood obesity.  Coca-Cola appears to have financed and promoted research tying childhood obesity to causes other than soda consumption.

For 24 of the ISCOLE studies, the COI disclosures report this, or a close variant: “ISCOLE is funded by The Coca-Cola Company. The study sponsor has no role in study design, data collection, analysis, conclusions or publications. The only sponsor requirement was that the study be global in nature.”

However, a Freedom of Information Act request by U.S. Right to Know, a food industry watchdog group, uncovered evidence suggesting that Coca-Cola influenced the studies’ design, raising questions about corporate influence and truthfulness in the Coke-funded papers.

“It appears that many of the ISCOLE scientists did not declare the full extent of Coca-Cola’s involvement in their childhood obesity studies,” said Gary Ruskin, co-director of U.S. Right to Know.  “This raises questions not only about these Coke-funded studies, but also more generally about the accuracy of conflict of interest disclosures in other scientific studies funded by corporations.”

“What these emails reveal is how complex conflicts of interest are and how poorly they are currently managed,” said David Stuckler, Professor at the Research Centre Dondena, at Bocconi University. “There is a danger that vested interests such as Coca-Cola pollute the scientific literature with research serving a hidden agenda.”

“In recent years, large corporations have been seeking to minimize concerns about conflicts of interest in the research they fund,” said Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.  A recent example is the Brussels Declaration, which said “commercial conflicts of interests are fairly easy to deal with if they are properly declared”. “As our paper shows, the situation is actually much more complicated and there is a need for considerable caution,” McKee said.

Regarding the ISCOLE emails obtained by FOIA, the Journal of Public Health Policy paper reports:

The emails suggest that the researchers did consult and include Coca-Cola representatives in making strategic decisions about study design. In the early stages of planning the study, for example, the parties debated which and how many countries are to be included. [Coca-Cola Chief Science and Health Officer Rhona] Applebaum emailed [ISCOLE Co-Principal Investigator Peter] Katzmarzyk on 26 March 2012 saying: “Ok—so with Russia and Finland we are at 13? Or no Finland and at 12. Seriously–our CEO hates the #13”…. She continued, “Serious about this 13 business. We have no FL [floor?] 13 at Coke”. Applebaum asked Katzmarzyk: “What other country should we look at?”, to which he responded, “We should talk about Russia as well—do you have contacts there already?”

The Journal of Public Health Policy paper was authored by David Stuckler, Professor at the Research Centre Dondena, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy; Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK; and Gary Ruskin, co-director of U.S. Right to Know, in Oakland, California.

U.S. Right to Know is a nonprofit organization that investigates the risks associated with the corporate food system, and the food industry’s practices and influence on public policy.  For more information, see usrtk.org.

Global problem solvers are in high demand. Just google Re-Imagine Education and check out the wealth of conferences and events focused on what learning matters to ensure individuals have the skills to think like entrepreneurs and collaborate with people from all backgrounds.

What lessons can researchers learn from the 15 year-old girls who outperformed boys in collaborative problem solving in every country around the world, according to the new study by the OECD? In C.M. Rubin’s interview with Andreas Schleicher, Director for the Directorate of Education and Skills at the OECD, he notes, “Girls show more positive attitudes towards relationships, meaning that they tend to be more interested in others’ opinions and want others to succeed.”

Schleicher also notes that "strong academic skills will not automatically also lead to strong social skills. Part of the answer lies in giving students more ownership over the time, place, path, pace, and interactions of their learning. Another part of the answer can lie in fostering more positive relationships at school and designing learning environments that benefit students’ collaborative problem-solving skills and their attitudes towards collaboration.”

Andreas Schleicher is Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. The first ever assessment of collaborative problem solving skills aims to help countries and economies see where their students stand in relation to their peers in other education systems. Students in 52 countries completed this test in addition to the main OECD PISA 2015 Survey on Science, Mathematics and Reading.

Read the full article here.

CMRubinWorld launched in 2010 to explore what kind of education would prepare students to succeed in a rapidly changing globalized world. Its award-winning series, The Global Search for Education, is a celebrated trailblazer in the renaissance of the 21st century, and occupies a special place in the pulse of key issues facing every nation and the collective future of all children. It connects today’s top thought leaders with a diverse global audience of parents, students and educators. Its highly readable platform allows for discourse concerning our highest ideals and the sustainable solutions we must engineer to achieve them. C. M. Rubin has produced over 500 interviews and articles discussing an expansive array of topics under a singular vision: when it comes to the world of children, there is always more work to be done.

For more information on  CMRubinWorld
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David Wine
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First Ever Effective Intervention Against Dementia Shown in Large Study

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA) — Researchers just published the first randomized controlled trial ever to show an intervention effective at lowering the risk of dementia.  A computerized brain exercise licensed exclusively by Posit Science, maker of the online (and in app) BrainHQ brain training platform, significantly reduced the risk of dementia among older adults over a 10-year period, according to an article in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, a peer-reviewed journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

“Relatively small amounts of training resulted in a decrease in risk of dementia over the 10-year period of 29 percent, as compared to the control,” said Dr. Jerri Edwards, lead author of the article and a Professor at the University of South Florida, College of Medicine, “And, when we looked at dose-response, we saw that those who trained more got more protective benefit.”

To place the size and importance of this protective effect in context, the researchers quantitatively compared the risk reduction for dementia from the computerized brain training to the risk reduction for major cardiovascular events (such as heart failure, heart disease and stroke) yielded by blood pressure medications, and found that this non-pharmacological intervention had a 2-4 times greater protective effect against its targeted disease condition.

“No health professional would suggest that any person with hypertension forego the protection offered by prescribed blood pressure medication,” observed Dr. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science. “We expect these results will cause the medical community to take a much closer look at the many protective benefits of these exercises in both older and clinical populations.”

The journal article, “Speed of Processing Training Results in Lower Risk of Dementia,” reports on the latest results from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) Study, funded by the National Institutes of Health. That study followed 2,802 healthy older adults for 10 years (as they aged from an average of 74 to 84).

The ACTIVE Study looked at the impact on aging of different types of cognitive training by randomizing participants into a control group and three intervention arms: 1) a memory group receiving classroom instruction on memory strategies; 2) a reasoning group receiving classroom instruction on reasoning strategies; and 3) a speed of processing group receiving individualized computerized brain training in a classroom setting. Participants in the cognitive training groups were asked to engage in a total of 10 sessions of training (about an hour per session) conducted over the first five weeks of the study.

All participants were assessed on a number of cognitive and functional measures at the beginning of the study, after the first six weeks, and at the end of years 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10. Subsets of each intervention group also received four additional “booster” training sessions in the weeks before the assessments at the end of years 1 and 3.

At the end of 10 years, researchers found no significant difference in incidence of dementia for the strategy-based memory or reasoning training groups, as compared to the control group. However, the speed of processing group engaged in computerized brain training showed a significant reduction in incidence of dementia – with a 29 percent reduction in the hazard of dementia.

When reviewing the impact of each computerized speed training session completed, researchers found those who completed more sessions had lower risk.  The researchers also reported on the dementia incidence rate of those who completed the most sessions of each type of training (including five or more booster sessions) and the control. The incident rate of dementia for those who completed the most sessions in speed training (at 5.9 percent) was 45 percent lower than the control (at 10.8 percent); 42 percent lower than the incidence rate for those who did the most memory training (at 10.1 percent); and 39 percent lower than the incidence rate for those who did the most reasoning training (at 9.7 percent). Only the comparison of the entire speed group to the control was reported as significant.

The newly published results confirm and extend preliminary results first announced last year.  Those results used a broader definition of dementia to reflect the under-reporting of dementia in the community. The preliminary results, indicating a 33 percent reduction in risk, relative to the control are contained in this report. However, to be more conservative, the authors now also include and highlight a narrower definition of dementia (restricted to reports of a dementia diagnosis or falling below a cut-point on a standard test). Even with the narrower definition, the effects are substantially similar – with a 29 percent reduction in dementia risk (at any given point in time) for the overall speed group as compared to the control.

Participants in the computerized brain training group were trained on a highly specific task designed to improve the speed and accuracy of visual attention, including both divided and selective attention. To perform the divided attention training task, a user identified an object (i.e., car or truck) at the center of gaze while at the same time locating a target in the periphery (i.e., car). As the user gets the answers correct, the speed of presentation becomes faster.  In the more difficult training tasks, the target in the periphery is obscured by distracting objects.

There is substantial prior scientific literature on this training exercise, which is referred to as “speed of processing training”, “useful field of view training”, or “UFOV training.” The exercise was developed by Dr. Karlene Ball of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Dr. Dan Roenker of Western Kentucky University. It is now exclusively licensed to Posit Science, and is available as the “Double Decision” exercise of the BrainHQ.com brain training program.

The paper notes that this particular type of computerized brain training, as updated by its inventors and Posit Science over the years, has previously been shown effective across multiple clinical trials in older adults on standard measures on cognitive abilities (e.g., speed of processing, attention and memory) and functional abilities (e.g., maintaining the ability to live independently, depressive symptoms, feelings of control, and health-related quality of life), as well as in real world activities (e.g., driving safety, balance and gait). In other studies in pre-dementia conditions, it has shown improvements in cognitive and functional abilities, as well as brain structure.

“This study highlights that not all cognitive training is the same,” said Dr. Edwards. “Plasticity-based, computerized, speed of processing training has differentiated itself based both on the data and on the neurophysiological model from which it was developed.”

“There are now well over 100 peer-reviewed studies on the benefits of our brain exercises and assessments across varied populations,” said Dr. Mahncke. “The neuroplasticity-based mechanisms that drive beneficial changes across the brain from this type of training are well-documented, and are increasingly understood even by brain scientists not directly involved in their development. This type of training harnesses plasticity to engage the brain in an upward spiral toward better physical and functional brain health.”

“We work with a global team of independent researchers who are continuously pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the brain,” Dr. Mahncke observed. “We expect many more exciting announcements in the year ahead, and we plan to work with the medical community and regulators to expand beyond our wellness and performance offerings to assist people with specific medical conditions and concerns.”

ESPGHAN: Consumers Misled by Gluten-free Foods, Study Finds

Gluten-free products cannot be considered as sufficient substitutes for their gluten-containing counterparts, prompting scientists to call for the reformulation of gluten free foods with healthier raw materials to ensure healthy childhood nutrition.

The outcomes of the study, presented today at the 50th Annual Congress of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition, show that gluten-free items have a significantly higher energy content and a different nutritional composition to their gluten-containing counterparts. Many of the gluten-containing products - especially breads, pastas, pizzas and flours - also contained up to three times more protein than their gluten free substitutes.

The imbalances highlighted in the study could impact children's growth and increase the risk of childhood obesity.

The study assessed over 1,300 products, finding:

• Gluten-free breads had significantly higher content of lipids and saturated fatty acids
• Gluten-free pasta had significantly lower content of sugar and protein
• Gluten-free biscuits had significantly lower content of protein and significantly higher content of lipids

ESPGHAN expert and lead researcher, Dr Joaquim Calvo Lerma, explains "As more and more people are following a gluten-free diet to effectively manage coeliac disease, it is imperative that foods marketed as substitutes are reformulated to ensure that they truly do have similar nutritional values. This is especially important for children, as a well-balanced diet is essential to healthy growth and development."

Experts are also warning that consumers may not be aware of these unhealthy variances due to poor nutritional labelling.

Dr Martinez-Barona, fellow lead researcher comments "Where nutritional values of gluten-free products do vary significantly from their gluten-containing counterparts, labelling needs to clearly indicate this. Consumers should also be provided with guidance to enhance their understanding of the nutritional compositions of products to allow them to make more informed purchases and ensure a healthier diet is followed."

Daciana Sarbu MEP, Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, adds "Gluten-free products that are not pre-packed are not subject to the same labelling requirements as pre-packed products. In this case, consumers could be less aware of important nutritional differences with potentially significant health impacts. I have always supported so-called 'traffic light' labelling to facilitate easy comparison between products for key nutrients including protein, fat and sugars."

Study finds Vitamin D effective for reducing flu and colds 

People who boost their vitamin D levels with supplements reduce their risk of respiratory tract infections, such as the flu, by up to 12%, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis study of 25 randomised controlled trial (RCT) studies published recently in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

The study reported that this equates to one person being spared a respiratory tract infection (RTI) for every 33 taking vitamin D supplements. The benefit is greater in those receiving daily or weekly vitamin D versus bolus or monthly dosing, with the number needed to treat dropping to 20. The impact in Canada, based on a population of 35 million people, shows vitamin D could spare 1.75 million people having one RTI per year.

“The results are likely to change the cost/benefit analysis relating to fortification of foods with vitamin D significantly,” said Adrian Martineau, clinical professor of respiratory infection and immunity at Queen Mary University of London.

The magnitude of potential healthcare savings is great when you consider the impact of RTI’s such as time off work, doctor appointments, and prescription costs. Just last year a study found if Canadians could raise their mean level of vitamin D to at least 100 nmol/L, it would prevent approximately 23,000 premature deaths and save $12.5 billion annually in direct healthcare and related costs.

Vitamin D researchers have suspected for a long time that RCT studies which used bolus or monthly dosing and reported minimal benefits were diminishing the true positive effects of vitamin D especially in systematic review and meta-analysis. This new study by Martineau et al. was able to prove that bolus or monthly dosing is ineffective. It found:

• 12% reduction of respiratory tract infections based on all studies and all dosing regimens
• 19% reduction of respiratory tract infections for those receiving daily or weekly vitamin D doses
• No statistically significant effect on risk of respiratory tract infections for those receiving bolus or monthly dosing
• 70% reduction in respiratory tract infections for those with low vitamin D blood levels below 25 nmol/L and receiving weekly or daily dosing of vitamin D

“You can’t expect a monthly bolus dose of vitamin D to provide adequate blood levels of 25(OH)D to respond to daily infectious attacks,” said Dr. Gerry Schwalfenberg, a scientific advisor to the Vitamin D Society and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta. “Vitamin D levels would spike immediately from the bolus dosing and then drop throughout the month back to low untreated levels leaving you open to infections. You need daily vitamin D intake for best results and immune response.”

In Canada, 35% of people or approximately 12 million people have vitamin D levels below 50 nmol/L. This increases to 40% in winter. More than 50 vitamin D scientists recommend that you reach a vitamin D blood level of between 100-150 nmol/L for optimal health.

“This study proves that by increasing your vitamin D blood levels through daily intake you could significantly prevent flu, colds and other respiratory infections,” said Perry Holman, Executive Director of the Vitamin D Society. “One of the reasons we have more flu and colds in the winter is due to the lack of UVB sun exposure and the resulting lower vitamin D levels.”

About the Vitamin D Society:

The Vitamin D Society is a Canadian non-profit group organized to increase awareness of the many health conditions strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency; encourage people to be proactive in protecting their health and have their vitamin D levels tested annually; and help fund valuable vitamin D research. The Vitamin D Society recommends people achieve and maintain optimal 25(OH)D blood levels between 100 – 150 nmol/L (Can) or 40-60 ng/ml (USA).

To learn more about vitamin D, please visit www.vitamindsociety.org.

Study: Brain Exercises May Help with Impact of Ringing in the Ears

A study just published in JAMA Otolaryngology indicates that certain brain exercises from Posit Science may help patients better cope with tinnitus – a condition commonly referred to as “ringing in the ears.”

The US Centers for Disease Control estimates some 15% of Americans (about 50 million people) have experienced tinnitus; roughly 20 million Americans struggle with burdensome chronic tinnitus; and two million have extreme and debilitating cases. The global number has been estimated at about 360 million people.

In 99 percent of cases, people with tinnitus hear a persistent or intermittent sound (ringing, tones, buzzing, whistling, clicking, etc) that cannot be heard by others, nor objectively measured. In recent years, it has been reported that the incidence is particularly high among firefighters and other first responders exposed to loud sound blasts – a group that was heavily represented in this study.

Typically, individuals with tinnitus have worse than average working memory, selective attention, processing speed and reaction times. The researchers hypothesized that since the plasticity-based brain exercises in BrainHQ had been shown effective in these areas in other populations, they might be beneficial in tinnitus.

In the study run at Washington University in St. Louis, researchers randomized 40 patients, who reported having bothersome tinnitus for at least six months, into an intervention and a no contact control group. The intervention group was asked to train one hour a day, five days per week, for eight weeks with a regimen of online auditory brain training exercises derived from the online BrainHQ exercises from Posit Science. Another 20 healthy adults acted as a second control for comparison purposes.

Intervention and control participants were measured at the beginning and end of the eight-week training period across a number of behavioral and cognitive self-report instruments, through brain scans and with qualitative assessment.

Researchers reported no significant between group differences on the behavioral and cognitive self-report instruments, but the qualitative assessment indicated that half the intervention group reported they felt improvement in their tinnitus.

When asked how much their tinnitus had changed from the start of the study, 50% of the intervention group reported they experienced improvement (with 30% reporting they were much or very much improved), as compared to only 15% in the control group who reported improvement (all of which was reported as minimal improvement).  Researchers noted that the qualitative assessment mainly reported improvements in tinnitus, memory, attention and concentration.

The MRI neuro-imaging showed significant between group differences, with the intervention group showing strengthening in areas associated with control and attention. The researchers found this to be consistent with the hypothesis that the plasticity-based exercises drive structural changes in the brain associated with better outcomes.

"We believe that continued research into the role of cognitive training rehabilitation programs is supported by the findings of this study, and the role of neuroplasticity seems to hold a prominent place in the future treatments for tinnitus," the researchers reported. "On the basis of our broad recruitment and enrollment strategies, we believe the results of this study are applicable to most patients with tinnitus who seek medical attention."

“These are encouraging results in addressing a common condition that can have effects ranging from the bothersome to the severely debilitating and life-altering.” said Dr. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science, the maker of the BrainHQ exercises. “These results further earlier work using our exercises and assessments in this area.  We plan to seek additional support for further research, which may someday allow us to bring to market a targeted program for people with tinnitus.”