corticalmetrics insights

Different types of exercise for the brain

September 06, 2023

Exercise is an incredible medicine. It can lower blood pressure, prevent diabetes, and alleviate the debilitating symptoms of chronic depression and anxiety. It’s even been shown to promote better skin health, improve eyesight, and ward off the aging process of cells.

On the other hand, not exercising can lead to mood disorders, arthritis - and not surprisingly - obesity and cardiovascular disease. The CDC estimates that inadequate exercise accounts for 11% of total annual healthcare costs in the United States - that’s just over $130 billion each year.

Biohacking data vs. Academic research

September 05, 2023

– A new Era in Research and Data Intelligence has Arrived

“A new type of thinking is essential if mankind is to survive and move toward high levels” - Einstein.

This could not be truer when it comes to the new era of biohacking. While there are many that disparage biohackers, also referred to as citizen scientists, there have been tremendous accomplishments in this new world of experiential science that biohacking has shaped.

Massive investments (usually funded from the public purse or private donations) have been and continue to be made

What is cognitive reserve and how do you preserve it?

September 01, 2023

When I started to look for images for "cognitive reserve", the majority of photos that popped up were related to preservation - such as preserving different aspects of the environment. Not what I was looking for, but when you think about it, preserving your individual environment has a lot to do with preserving cognitive reserve. I have always been fully supportive of any efforts we make to preserve the environment that we have and in many ways, the same principles apply to preserving our cognitive abilities through the

Can improving reaction time slow down the onset of dementia?

August 31, 2023

One of the advantages of the Brain Gauge training platform is that the Speed drills help improve your reaction time. Improving reaction time might be associated with certain cognitive benefits and potentially delaying the onset of cognitive decline, including dementia. While dementia is a complex condition with multiple contributing factors, it does make us pause to wonder how much improving brain fitness can do to offset or delay the degradations caused by aging or aging related dementias. By the numbers, there are virtually very few, if any, instances reported of

How to biohack with the Brain Gauge

August 30, 2023

The Brain Gauge is a device that aims to provide insights into various aspects of brain health and function. It's designed to measure brain function metrics and track changes over time. Biohacking with the Brain Gauge involves using the device to gather data about your brain's performance and using that information to optimize your cognitive function. Here's how you can use the Brain Gauge for biohacking:

Baseline Measurement: Start by taking baseline measurements of your cognitive performance using the Brain Gauge. This will give you a starting point to compare

How to use the Brain Gauge training platform

August 30, 2023

The Brain Gauge has a unique training platform and perhaps the best way to introduce it is to simply start using it. If you have been using a Brain Gauge, you are familiar with the screenshot shown below Picture1-6
Note that under "Testing options" the user can select "Start testing" or "Start training". The "Start Training" option is circled - this is the one you select.

Once you have selected the training option, another screen will appear, as depicted with the screenshot below.

Treating chronic pain with brain training?

August 29, 2023

Can the Brain Gauge be used to decrease pain or improve brain function?
For many years, people have found modest success with treating different forms of chronic pain with different types of tactile stimulation (vibration, electrical stimuli, etc.). Results from those studies (and there were quite a few) are both divergent in terms of results obtained from tactile stimulation and inconclusive. In our own work, we demonstrated a reduced effect of high frequency tactile stimulation (this means we delivered 150 Hz vibration to the skin at the same time as

Parallels between brain fitness and physical fitness

August 28, 2023

Brain Fitness is not that different from physical fitness and shares many similarities, despite targeting different aspects of health. Here are some ways in which brain training for brain fitness is similar to physical training for physical fitness are similar:

Goal of Improvement: Both brain training and physical training aim to enhance specific aspects of health and performance. Brain training targets cognitive functions like speed, accuracy, attention, and problem-solving, while physical training focuses on improving strength, endurance, and flexibility.

Adaptation: Both types of training rely on the principle of adaptation.

GABA and lateral inhibition

August 25, 2023

The brain maintains a balance between two neurotransmitters: GABA, the brain’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter and glutamate, the main excitatory neurotransmitter. GABA, countering the stimulating effects of glutamate, functions to slow the firing of brain cells, inducing a calmed and relaxed state.

There are two types of GABA receptors: GABAa and GABAb. When GABA binds to a GABAa receptor, excited neurons are blocked, which leads to relaxation, sedation, sleep, and reduced anxiety. When GABA binds to a GABAb receptor, a more complex process is triggered, which reduces stress, boosts cognition,

The importance of detecting the barely detectible...

August 25, 2023

Following a mild concussion, individuals typically begin to perceive a sense of normalcy within 1-2 weeks. Symptoms gradually subside, and if undergoing professional assessment, patients often exhibit a return to their initial scores on standard evaluations like SCAT and ImPACT during this post-concussion period. However, the question arises: is their brain genuinely fully recovered?
Unlike a fracture that can be directly observed through an X-ray, head injuries are evaluated indirectly by gauging brain function. This comparison is akin to assessing a broken arm's condition by assessing the arm's mobility – a