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

To compare performance and muscle architecture changes in starters and nonstarters during a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women's soccer season.

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28 females (av. 20 years old) were assessed on NeuroTracker baselines, vertical jump power, repeated line drills and reaction time at preseason, midseason, and postseason. Muscle architecture changes using ultrasonography were assessed at preseason and postseason.

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Both starters and non-starters showed similar status or improvements on all assessments across the season, except for line drills performance, which showed greater improvements for starters. NeuroTracker and reaction time performance improved regardless of playtime. Results of muscle architecture analysis indicated that practice training alone provide sufficient stimulus for improving muscle quality during the competitive season. Overall starters did not display significant benefits from competition over athletes who performed training only.

To determine whether visuo-attentional and executive capacities measured by multiple object tracking and related cognitive tasks are associated with take-over performance in a highly automated driving simulation.

Participants completed a battery of cognitive assessments including 3D multiple object tracking (NeuroTracker), executive function measures, and additional visuo-attentional tasks. These measures were correlated with performance outcomes in a high-fidelity driving simulator requiring participants to take over control from automated driving under risk-relevant conditions.

Higher dynamic tracking performance and stronger executive functioning were associated with greater take-over success in the simulated automated driving scenarios. These findings suggest that perceptual-cognitive abilities measured by 3D-MOT paradigms relate to practical visuomotor tasks beyond sport contexts, including safety-critical driving behaviors.

To investigate if older populations with clinically diagnosed cognitive impairments associated with fine-motor skills difficulties could measurably benefit from a short cognitive training intervention.

38 elderly participants, half with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and half with mild dementia (MD) completed a total of 36 sessions of NeuroTracker training. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test was used to assess the baseline cognitive status, and two batteries of manual motor skills assessments completed before and after the training program.

The results showed clear and significant post-training improvements in both manual dexterity tests. Analysis indicated that only 90-minutes of NeuroTracker training was needed to achieve these benefits with these populations. The researchers concluded that this type of intervention could have a broad impact on the aging population in terms of their daily quality of life.

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To investigate if a NeuroTracker intervention could improve cognitive abilities in older adults with subjective cognitive decline, and determine if AI models could be used to increase training efficacy.

48 participants between 60 and 90 years of age with subjective cognitive complaints, but otherwise healthy, were assigned to NeuroTracker training group (26) or a control group (22). All participants provided detailed socio-demographic information via questionnaires and baseline neuropsychological assessments (California Verbal Learning Test, Digit Span, D-KEFS Trail Making Test, D-KEFS Verbal Fluency Test, and Stroop Test). The NeuroTracker group performed 7 weeks of training, the control group only performed NeuroTracker baseline assessments. Both groups performed follow-up neuropsychological assessments at 8 weeks and 11 weeks. Machine Learning models were used to analyze demographic and assessment data to test if cognitive performance and responsiveness to training could be predicted.

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The NeuroTracker group experience a large improvement in scores of around 70%, along with wide and robust performance transfer on the neuropsychological assessments at week 8, with further gains (without training) at week 11. AI models yielded highly accurate predictions of responsiveness to the training intervention. The researchers propose that such models can be used to effectively tailor NeuroTracker programs to the needs of individuals.

To examine the effects of a high intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) protocol on performance with a perceptual-cognitive task (NeuroTracker), and whether effects differ between children, young adults, and older adults.

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12 children, 12 young adults and 12 older adults completed a HIIE program consisting of eleven 30-second intervals at 90% VO2 max, interspersed with 2-minute active recovery periods at 50% VO2max. Before and during this exercise protocol, three sessions of NeuroTracker task were performed at 5, 15, and 25 minute intervals.

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Young adults had significantly higher absolute NeuroTracker scores than children and older adults. Apart children, NeuroTracker scores improved each session, despite the exercise demands (greatest for young adults). The findings suggest that intensive exercise protocols are suitable to be combined with NeuroTracker cognitive training with younger and older adults, but not with children.

This case report sought to examine in detail the effects of a combined intervention program (NeuroTracker and Memory Training) for recovering memory and attentional functions in an older individual.

1 healthy 80 year old male with frequent memory complaints underwent 32 NeuroTracker sessions of Sustain mode over 12 months, alongside Memory Training based on consciously learned mnemonic strategies. The patient completed a robust pre-mid-post training battery of tests on memory, quality of life and stress.

At the post-assessment stage, training proved effective for gains in sustained and alternatingattention, with above-average cognitive flexibility. Assessments for memory accuracy and processingspeeds showed a steadily rising curve. Improvements were evident in self-perceived attention,memory, quality of life and self-confidence. A reduction in stress symptoms was observed withmeasured improvements in physical, psychological and environmental domains. NeuroTracker scoresshowed a rising curve throughout the training program.Based on the case report findings, the researchers suggested such cognitive training programs shouldbe made available in private and public institutions for elderly care to improve quality of life and delaythe signs of senility during the aging process.

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 compare the learning efficiency 3D-MOT (NeuroTracker) with 2D-MOT, and investigate whether any advantages can be reflected by heart rate variability (HRV).

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26 female U15 soccer players completed the 2D- and 3D-MOT tasks with the order reversed for half of the participants. HRV measures were recorded live during the training.

The female soccer players displayed higher learning efficiency in the 3D-MOT task than in the 2D-MOT. HRV analysis revealed that the training had some stimulation associated with inducing flow states in 2D, but that this effect was significantly greater with 3D-MOT. The researchers concluded that this study highlights the role of flow experience in the utility and applicability of 3D-MOT in soccer sport.

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To evaluate perceptual cognitive abilities among male and female adolescents and determine if undiscovered gender differences in athletes’ perceptual cognitive abilities exist.

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40 nonathletes (20 boys and 20 girls) and 40 athletes (21 boys and 19 girls) aged 17-24 years old completed a short questionnaire about their sports practice. All participants then completed three NeuroTracker sessions.

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The findings confirm the superior perceptual cognitive abilities in young athletes relative to nonathletes. However, results also indicate differences in performance patterns between male and female athletes, with male athletes achieving the highest tracking speeds but female athletes showing faster adaptation to the task by the 3rd session. These results demonstrate that sports engagement and perceptual cognitive abilities are strongly related during adolescence and that this relationship seems more prevalent in athletes for this age group.