1. Alzheimer’s Association Multi-Year Study

 

• Key Take-aways: Two lifestyle interventions in U.S. POINTER improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. A structured intervention with more support and accountability showed greater improvement compared to a self-guided intervention.

• In a large, representative group of older adults at high risk for cognitive decline, multidomain lifestyle interventions were delivered with high adherence and safety.

• Cognitive benefits were consistent across age, sex, ethnicity, heart health status and apolipoprotein E-e4 genotype.

 

The Alzheimer’s Association U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk (U.S. POINTER) — a two-year, multi-site clinical trial testing two different lifestyle interventions in a representative population of older adults at risk for cognitive decline and dementia — found that both interventions improved cognition in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. Trial participants in the structured (STR) intervention showed greater improvement on global cognition compared to the self-guided (SG) intervention, protecting cognition from normal age-related decline for up to two years. The STR intervention differed from the SG intervention in intensity, structure, accountability and support provided.

Link: https://aaic.alz.org/releases-2025/us-pointer-study-results-announced.asp

 

2. Protecting the Aging Brain

Title: The Effects of Computerized Cognitive Training in Older Adults’ Cognitive Performance and Biomarkers of Structural Brain Aging
Summary: NIH-funded RCT showed moderate-to-large cognitive gains and preserved brain structure in seniors using BrainHQ-style training.
Link: PMC11165429
Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

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3. Functional Improvements in Real Life

Title: BrainHQ Outperforms: NIH Study Confirms Functional Cognitive Gains in Older Adults
Summary: NIH-funded trial compared BrainHQ to video games, IADL tasks, and puzzles. BrainHQ users saw the strongest improvements in real-life decision-making like fraud avoidance and driving safety.
Published in: Contemporary Clinical Trials
Link: Study summary in PubMed (search terms: BrainHQ cognitive training NIH RCT)

 

4. Cancer Survivor Cognitive Recovery

Title: Enhancing Cognitive Recovery for Cancer Survivors with BrainHQ
Summary: Recognized by the National Cancer Institute’s EBCCP, BrainHQ improved memory and processing speed in breast cancer survivors.
Metrics: 80% Reach, 66.7% Effectiveness
Link: EBCCP Program Details
Clinical context: Endorsed in national survivorship guidelines (ASCO, ONS)

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5. Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) Recovery

Title: Cognitive Training in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Trial of BrainHQ
Summary: 12-week NIH-backed trial showed lasting gains in attention, working memory, and executive function in mTBI patients. Improvements held at 6-month follow-up.
Use Case: Ideal for veterans, athletes, and those with long-term post-concussive symptoms
Link: PMC Article via NIH

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6. Landmark: The IMPACT Study

Title: IMPACT (Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training)
Summary: First large-scale NIH-funded trial of its kind. BrainHQ participants improved not just on tasks but on general cognitive assessments (memory, attention, processing speed).
Published by: Mayo Clinic, University of Southern California
Link: NIH summary via PMC