In the world of military traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), we’re always in search of the next step in treatment and recovery. A recently conducted study found what may be that next step. It all hinges on a program/app called BrainHQ.
BrainHQ is, in its own words, “brain training that works.” Designed by a team of neuroscientists, BrainHQ is a reactive program of exercises that are accessible on phones, tablets, and computers and takes just a few minutes to complete. The program adjusts based on performance to each activity, getting harder or easier depending on how a user completes each level. It’s not a video game that would offer strategies, cheat codes, or loopholes to get through activities. The objective is to strengthen the brain.
The study that examined BrainHQ’s impact was dubbed BRAVE, and funded by the Department of Defense. It focused on 83 veterans, who were instructed to use BrainHQ for 1 hour each day, 5 days a week for an extended period of time. The study found that, when compared to a control group, participants who used BrainHQ saw 5 times the improvement in cognitive function after 12 weeks of using the program.
One of the locations that conducted the study was our very own National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. We raised more than $60 million to construct and outfit NICoE, a state of the art facility that diagnoses and treats the invisible wounds of war: traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress. It opened its doors in 2010, and is the hub for our satellite Intrepid Spirit Centers. To date, eight Intrepid Spirit Centers are operational with a ninth currently under construction.
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Posted on August 30 2021 in Blog