NeuroTracker has been tried and tested by many independent research centres across the world. Discover the diverse research published with our searchable database
Published Research Papers
Research Institutes Using NeuroTracker
Issued Patents and Patents Pending
A variety of egg-based diets over 1-month improve performance on NeuroTracker compared to a no-egg diet.
To evaluate the impact of the nutritional impact of dietary intake of whole eggs, egg white, and egg yolk on visual cognitive performance (NeuroTracker) in healthy older adults.
99 healthy men and women aged 50 to 75 years were randomly assigned to one of five groups with different daily consumption of eggs alongside a record of their usual dietary intake. Over 1-month period participants either consumed four egg whites, two whole regular eggs, two whole omega-3-fortified eggs, four egg yolks, or no eggs (control). During the final 2 weeks of the study all participants completed 15 NeuroTracker.
On average male participants performed significantly better at NeuroTracker than females. All participants on egg-based diets performed significantly better across 2-weeks of NeuroTracker training than the no-egg controls. Findings suggest that whole eggs, egg whites and egg yolks are beneficial for visual cognitive performance in healthy older adults.
To determine if variance in hydration status would be associated with cognitive performance, as assessed by NeuroTracker.
121 participants performed 15 NeuroTracker sessions across 10 days of visits to the laboratory. On the days of training, recent fluid intake, urine color (Urine color scale, UC), and body water (BIA) were documented.
Individuals with average urine color indicating good hydration performed significantly worse on NeuroTracker than those with a borderline dehydrated indicator, as based on urine color. Participants with no recent beverage consumption performed significantly better than those who had recently consumed water, tea, coffee , and milk. The researchers suggested that optimal hydration may not occur at the highest values of the urine color scale possibly due to moderate hyponatremia and hemodilution that could impact NeuroTracker performance.
High intensity interval training combined with NeuroTracker provides an efficient dual-task method for training physical and mental performance.
To investigate how perceptual–cognitive performance is affected during high-intensity interval training (HIIT) using NeuroTracker(NT) assessments.
42 healthy adults were randomly assigned to an intervention (HIIT + NT, NT, HIIT) or control group. NT performance was measured pre-and post-test at 5, 15, and 25 min while running on a treadmill. The participants trained twice a week for a 4-week intervention period.
There was a significant interaction effect between pre/post-test and groups regarding perceptual-cognitive performance, indicating similar enhancements in the HIIT + NT and the NT group during exercise. HIIT influences physical fitness but did not show any impact on perceptual–cognitive performance. Overall training resulted in substantial task-specific gains. The researchers suggest combination training may be proposed as a training program to improve perceptual–cognitive, and physical performance in a time-efficient way.
Collegiate basketball athletes improve visual tracking speed by 42% from 1.2 hours of NeuroTracker training.
To compare the efficacy of NeuroTracker training for concentration and game performance to conventional training.
21 university basketball athletes were divided into a NeuroTracker training group (12 sessions) or a conventional training group. The Concentration Grid Test was used to measure concentration, and FIBA-Live Stats were collected to evaluate the game statistics and athlete performance, both pre- and post-training.
NeuroTracker training resulted in 42% greater improvement in post-training Concentration Grid Test results, compared to conventional training. No substantial improvements in game performance were found with either form of training.
NeuroTracker integrated with closed-loop live EEG feedback enhances NeuroTracker learning rates for healthy adults.
To investigate if real-time Neurofeedback can enhance learning rates for NeuroTracker training.
40 healthy adults were assigned to four training groups (ten each), performing either:-
• Standard NeuroTracker training
• No training (control group)
• NeuroTracker with EEG-Neurofeedback
• NeuroTracker with sham Neurofeedback
EEG-Neurofeedback involved closed-loop feedback that automatically detects when a participant has lost track of their targets and immediately reindexes them.
The standard NeuroTracker group, control group and EEG-Neurofeedback groups started a similar level, higher than the sham Neurofeedback group. However the EEG-Neurofeedback showed superior learning rates over all other groups over the course of 10 training sessions. The results show that a closed-loop learning paradigm is highly effective at enhancing learning outcomes on the NeuroTracker task.
3 hours of NeuroTracker training improves verbal and matrix working memory span in Canadian armed forces personnel.
To investigate if working memory in Canadian Armed Forces can be improved with unsupervised remote NeuroTracker training as a practical performance enhancement tool.
66 Canadian Armed Forces soldiers were randomly assigned to NeuroTracker training (30 sessions over two weeks), Dual n-back training, or a passive control group. Verbal and matrix WM span were assessed before and after training, along with the Multi-Attribute Task Battery: MATB-II multi-tasking assessment.
Both active groups improved on the training tasks with 10-50% improvement in post-training working memory measures. No significant transfer was found for the MATB-II multi-tasking assessment.
NeuroTracker training with elite youth soccer players leads to improvements in inhibition and visual clarity over controls, but not other measures.
To evaluate the effectiveness and transfer of an NeuroTracker training on visual and executive functions in youth elite soccer players.
29 elite youth soccer players were recruited and divided into training and control groups. Visual and executive functions were analyzed in a pre–post test design with both groups doing regular soccer training, and the trained group also completing 10 weeks of NeuroTracker training twice a week. Transfer assessments included tests with the Senaptec Sensory Station, the Trail Making Test, and the Design Fluency test.
Large differences in NeuroTracker initial baselines were found both between the groups, and within the groups. For the trained group, initial baselines were strongly correlated with improvement rates. Assessments show gains for both groups in working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibition, metacognition, MOT, attention window and processing speed, but only measures inhibition, visual clarity showed advantages specific to the trained group. The researchers recommended studies with a dual-task training intervention and larger number of participants may be needed to reveal training effects for this population.
MS patients respond positively to NeuroTracker training with healthy learning rates and transfer to improvements in a driving readiness assessment.
To assess the usability of NeuroTracker for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
16 MS patients and 9 healthy age-matched controls performed four 30 minute NeuroTracker training sessions. A battery of neuropsychological tests were performed pre- and post-training (driving readiness, Stroop, PVSAT, SDMT).
While scoring lower on NeuroTracker, patients with MS improved their scores with very similar responsiveness to the healthy controls. The training also led to significant improvements in driving readiness, showing responsiveness to the training with similar effectiveness to healthy, age-matched controls.
Professional esports players perform better at NeuroTracker than amateurs or traditional athletes, who also perform better than the normal population.
To compare the visual tracking performance of professional as well as amateur eSport players and traditional sportsmen using NeuroTracker.
19 professional players, 22 amateur players and 18 traditional sportsmen completed 3 NeuroTracker sessions. The first session was completed in 2D (non-stereo), and sessions 2 and 3 were completed in 3D (stereo). Experience and playtime data was also collected for analysis.
Professional players spent significantly more time playing esports than amateurs. Pearson correlations revealed positive associations between hours of esport / week and NeuroTracker scores. Mean session score averages across each session consistently found esport professional to have the highest NeuroTracker performance, following by traditional sportsmen. Analysis of prior NeuroTracker research showed that session scores for all three groups were higher than the scores of the normal population.
https://peerj.com/articles/10211/
To examine whether individuals who play video games at a professional level in the esports industry differ from amateur video game players in their cognitive and learning abilities.
14 elite professional gamers and 16 casual video game players were assessed on a battery of standard neuropsychological tests evaluating processing speed, attention, memory, executive functions, and manual dexterity. In addition, both groups completed 15 distributed NeuroTracker sessions to assess dynamic visual attention and learning abilities.
Professional players showed the largest performance advantage relative to amateur players for visual spatial memory (Spatial Span), and with more modest benefits for selective and sustained attention (d2 Test of Attention), and auditory working memory (Digit Span). Professional players also had greatly higher initial speed thresholds on NeuroTracker, with the advantage increasing marginally over the 15 sessions. Overall, the cognitive assessments differentiated the professional and amateur groups, however there was negligible correlation with these results in terms of gaming experience in either group. In conclusion, standardized cognitive assessments revealed some elevated abilities of pro gamers, however NeuroTracker baselines and learning rates provided much more sensitive comparative measures.
NeuroTracker training improves memory and other cognitive abilities for elderlies, more effectively than a memory training intervention.
To investigate if cognitive training programs can reduce expected cognitive decline associated with aging.
44 participants of 60 years or older were equally divided into an experimental (with NeuroTracker) and a comparative group (without NeuroTracker) and completed 12 training sessions per week. Both groups practiced mnemonic memory training techniques. Pre and post assessments were also conducted, including a a sociodemographic questionnaire, neuropsychological assessment and NeuroTracker pre and post baseline measures.
Both groups experienced some benefits from the memory training, however only the NeuroTracker trained group achieved transfer benefits for attention, reaction time, visual processing speed, episodic, semantic, subjective and working memory as well as aspects of social cognition. The researchers concluded that NeuroTracker with memory training contributed to significantly improved cognitive performance over memory training alone, and that more research should be conducted for elderly populations with and without cognitive deficits.
NeuroTracker baselines along with neuropsychological and mood assessments detect no pre-post significant cognitive changes from BDNF supplementation.
To examine if β-Alanine supplementation can increase brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) to benefit cognition and mood under anticipatory stress prior to simulated military operations.
19 healthy males were randomized into and active group (14 days of β-Alanine Supplementation) and a placebo group. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included NeuroTracker baselines, visuomotor reaction time (Dynavision™), mathematical processing (Serial Subtraction Test), and neuropsychological assessments (ANAM™). Mood was assessed using the Profile of Mood States questionnaire.
No change in measures of cognitive function or BDNF concentrations were observed. However, the active group experienced significant reductions in subjective feelings of depression.
NeuroTracker provides greater improvements in archery athlete's concentration than conventional archery training.
To investigate if NeuroTracker training can improve archery concentration performance at moment of shooting.
20 archers in an archery club were divided into two control groups. Over 12 visits the one group completed NeuroTracker training, while the other group completed conventional archery training. Pre-post assessments of concentration were completed by both groups using the Concentration Grid Test.
There was a significant transfer effect from both the NeuroTracker training and the conventional training on the improvement of the archery athlete’s concentration, however NeuroTracker training demonstrated stronger post-training improvements on the Concentration Grid Test across mean, standard deviation and gain scores. The researchers conclude NeuroTracker could be an effective training method to improve the concentration of archery athletes.
NeuroTracker pre-post measures reveal cognitive benefits for college females engaging in a 15-day diet with added beef nutrients.
To investigate if beef and beef-related nutrient intake can explain the variance in visual cognitive performance in young females.
52 college age women performed 15 NeuroTracker sessions over 15 days with normal eating habits, as a preliminary study. Then 80 college age women were randomized in an RCT study to either a daily beef or veggie patty and consumed 1 patty/day for 30 days, and assessed with NeuroTracker.
In the preliminary study, higher iron, cholesterol, choline, arginine and B vitamins levels were all significantly associated with higher NeuroTracker scores. In the RCT study, the beef group demonstrated higher average NeuroTracker scores. The researchers suggest that increased intake of beef associated nutrients may increase visual cognitive performance in college age women.
NeuroTracker baselines more sensitively detect effects on cognition than other cognitive assessments after open heart surgery.
To examine whether cognitive baselines can be used to detect changes in cognitive function in open-heart surgery patients.
16 open-heart surgery patients (av. 60 years) completed NeuroTracker, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Trails B assessments at 3 time points: 1 to 2 days pre-surgery, at discharge or 1-week post-surgery, and at 12-weeks post-surgery.
No significant differences were detected between baseline and 1-week/discharge measurements on all measures. Patients improved significantly from 1-week/discharge to 12-weeks in NeuroTracker baseline scores. A similar but non-significant trend was found on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. The researchers concluded that post-surgical cognitive changes in heart surgery patients were detectable using NeuroTracker, and that future research should explore whether it is usable for the retraining of cognition after heart surgery.
A 20-30 minute NeuroTracker training intervention significantly improves multiple object tracking skills and working memory abilities.
To assess transfer from a NeuroTracker training intervention to near, mid-level, far transfer tasks.
84 graduate participants (av. 21 years old) were randomized to 3 trained groups and 1 passive control group. The trained groups completed either 5 or 3 standard sessions of NeuroTracker, or 5 sessions of a portable version of NeuroTracker (Microsoft Surface Pro tablet). The passive group completed only pre-post NeuroTracker baselines. All groups then completed pre-post assessments on a simplified 2D multiple object tracking task, an N-back working memory assessment, and on a video-based military driving task.
All trained groups showed significant improvements in NeuroTracker scores from 20-30 minutes of training. The passive control group also showed some modest improvements from only completing baselines. NeuroTracker training transferred to significant pre-post improvements in the 2D multiple object tracking test, but with smaller effects that improvements in NeuroTracker scores. Performance was found to be significantly better post-training for the trained groups on the working memory test, but not for the control group. No transfer effects were found for the video-based military task.
A 4-session NeuroTracker training program (24-mins) improved working memory by 35% in athletes in high and low tracking sports.
To examine the role of working memory and visual attention for tracking expertise in different sports.
Two experiments were performed. In the experiment 1 (assessment-only), 31 male and female experienced athletes were divided into high-tracking and low-tracking sports, e.g. soccer vs swimming. They completed 3 assessment blocks (9 trials each) of the Jardine and Seiffert 2D MOT task, using 2, 3 and 4 targets at slow, medium and fast fixed speeds. Eye tracking behavior was recorded during the task. In experiment 2, 36 participants (similar to experiment 1) were divided into a control and active group. Pre and post training, both groups completed the same 2D MOT assessment with eye tracking, as well as 2 types of n-back working memory assessments (combined visual and auditory demands). The active group completed a training intervention of 4 NeuroTracker sessions (20 trials each), using adaptive speed adjustments, whereas the controls did not.
In Experiment 1, analysis of eye tracking data revealed that directing gaze towards the center of the screen was a beneficial strategy for achieving higher tracking performance. High tracking sports showed superior tracking performance overall. In experiment 2, the active group experienced a large improvement in both NeuroTracker scores and working memory performance post-training, including a 35% increase WM accuracy. Training also transferred to significantly improved performance on the 2D MOT assessment. Controls showed no significant changes in pre-post assessments.
Children who are still symptomatic after an mTBI can tolerate and safely undergo a NeuroTracker training intervention.
To determine if children with delayed post-concussion recovery can use NeuroTracker training safely.
9 youths aged 12 to 17 years old being treated with delayed mTBI symptoms were trained on 16 NeuroTracker sessions over 6 visits. The status of mTBI was assessed pre and post training on each visit. Safety was measured through the reporting of adverse effects and tolerability.
91% of all training sessions were completed with significant learning effects. Clinical measures of mTBI symptoms revealed no worsening of mTBI symptoms. No participants experienced adverse effects, and one participant recovered from mTBI effects during the study. The results demonstrate that children who are still symptomatic after an mTBI can tolerate and safely undergo a NeuroTracker training intervention.
NeuroTrackerX is a cognitive training program designed to assess and improve mental performance.
