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Posit Science Brain Fitness Program FAQ
What is the Brain Fitness Program?
The Brain Fitness Program is Posit Science’s flagship program for auditory processing (listening) and memory. The Brain Fitness Program features six computer-based exercises that target different elements of listening. The exercises are scientifically designed to improve the quality and quantity of the information your brain absorbs from your ears. This results in faster auditory processing, an improvement in working memory, and increased production of chemicals in the brain that help it remember.
What exercises does the Brain Fitness Program include?
The Brain Fitness Program features six exercises that target the brain’s auditory processing (listening) abilities:
- High or Low? Encourages faster sound processing to help the brain respond to even the quickest speech.
- Tell Us Apart Gives the brain practice distinguishing similar sounds to help it interpret speech and store clear memories of it.
- Match It! Aims to improve the clarity of memory by sharpening the precision with which the brain processes sound.
- Sound Replay Pushes the brain to remember information in order, which affects the ability to engage in and remember conversation.
- Listen and Do Works out working memory, the short-term memory that is critical in almost all cognitive tasks related to thinking.
- Story Teller Promotes stronger memory for details to strengthen communication abilities.
What are the benefits that I can get from using the Brain Fitness Program? People who use the Brain Fitness Program experience a wide variety of cognitive benefits and improvements in their everyday lives. In fact, a recent clinical trial called the IMPACT study found that people who used the Brain Fitness Program ended up with an average increase of 131% in processing speed. Faster auditory processing helps people keep up with conversation, which in turn improves comprehension and memory. 88% of people in the IMPACT study who completed the program reached processing speeds typical of people under age 40. (No one in the study was under age 65.)
Brain Fitness Program users also gained an average of 10 years improvement in memory, and three out of four people in the study reported benefits in their everyday lives such as being able to remember a shopping list without writing it down, hearing conversations more clearly in noisy restaurants, and feeling more confident and better about themselves overall.
Can I use the Brain Fitness Program if I have hearing loss?
The Brain Fitness Program can be used with hearing aids. If you can watch and listen to a television at a regular distance and at a reasonable volume, you will be able to use the program with no problems.
Can I use the Brain Fitness Program if I have tinnitus?
If you have tinnitus you will still be able to use the program and will see results that are similar to the benefits that other users experience.
Who can benefit from using the Brain Fitness Program?
We believe everyone who wants to keep their mind sharp and do something to improve their cognitive performance can benefit from our programs. In fact, a major clinical trial called the IMPACT study has shown that every adult can benefit from Posit Science programs regardless of age or other factors.
Does the Brain Fitness Program work for people who have Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, or other cognitive conditions?
Preliminary study results demonstrate that the Brain Fitness Program can help people with cognitive symptoms related to a number of conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, schizophrenia, chemobrain, and others. Larger trials are needed, but the results so far have been very promising.
What if I don’t have much computer experience?
Hundreds of people who have used our programs in studies have never used a computer before. Our programs are designed to be used just by pointing and clicking—not much more difficult than using a television remote control.
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Brain Fitness
Think Faster, Focus Better, Remember More
The Brain Fitness Program is Posit Science's clinically proven, award-winning software for a sharper brain.
Real Benefits through Faster Processing
The Brain Fitness Program speeds up and sharpens auditory processing—the listening system of the brain. By improving the quantity and quality of what your brain takes in through sound, it drives an overall improvement in thinking, focus, and memory. Use the Brain Fitness Program to:
- Improve memory by 10 years
- Speed up auditory processing by 131%
- Find words on the tip of your tongue
- Participate in and remember conversations more fully
Brain Training that Works for You
How does it work?
How Does the Training Work? Sharpness starts with the senses
Our eyes, ears, and other sensory organs constantly send information to the brain.Our brains use this information to construct our experiences and memories, from the magnificent—a loved one’s face, a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, a wedding proposal—to the mundane—an acquaintance’s name, a grocery list, a drive to a nearby store.
The better we absorb this information, the better we can respond to it and store it, so that we can remember it and use it later. That’s what mental sharpness is all about— having strong brain function that supports a variety of cognitive skills.
Posit Science programs increase the quantity of sensory information the brain takes in and improves the quality with which the brain processes and records this information. This improvement has a ripple effect, improving “higher” functions of the brain that work with that information.
Think of it like a tree: healthy roots able to absorb plentiful nutrients and water make for a stronger trunk, shinier leaves, and more fruit. Posit Science programs strengthen the brain from the roots up. This approach is different from many others, which provide compensatory strategies, teach the brain “tricks” to remember, or drill the brain on memory tasks. Many scientific studies demonstrate that such a focus on caring for the fruit while ignoring the roots has limited benefits.
Root problems
Throughout life, our brains successfully absorb a lot of information from our senses. But for most of us, including almost everyone over age 40, our brains could do better. When we're in our 30s, three core trends begin to affect brain function. Over time, these have noticeable impacts on our memory, thinking, and focus. They include:
- Speed: Slower processing
Our brains gradually slow down—but the speed of information coming in from the senses (sights and sounds happening in our lives) does not. Over time, the brain begins to miss details, making it more difficult to react to and remember what we saw or heard.
- Accuracy: “Fuzzier” processing
Like the grooves of an old record, the brain’s neural pathways often get fuzzier, scratchier, or even distorted. When the brain records the static along with the important sensory information, memories are fuzzier and more difficult to process in higher cognitive functions.
- Recording: Fewer neuromodulators
The brain uses chemicals called neuromodulators to determine what information is important to record and process. With each passing decade, our brains produce fewer neuromodulators. A deficit of neuromodulators hinders the brain’s ability to record new information—in other words, its ability to learn and remember.
At first, people don’t notice problems in the moment because they (unknowingly) use context to fill in what they missed. In other words, we draw on our extensive life experience to “fill in the blanks” and make sense of information that is incomplete. Although this compensatory behavior helps us in the immediate situation, it doesn’t improve the quality of the recording (the memory). As the years pass, the gaps can become too big for context to fill in. When this occurs, it can be hard to catch and respond to the information even at the moment.
Caring for the roots
Posit Science programs are designed to reverse these three root problems. Their primary goals are to:
- Speed up brain processing
- Sharpen processing accuracy
- Stimulate the neuromodulatory machinery that controls recording
Where does neuroplasticity fit in?
Our programs harness the brain’s inherent plasticity—its ongoing remodeling throughout life—and direct it in ways that enhance overall performance. Given that the brain is the most complex machine on earth, this is no simple task. Posit Science has invested in a Scientific Advisory Board of more than 50 scientists from leading universities because each one brings his or a unique expertise to the team. Their collected contributions enable our programs to work on several levels, so that the brain changes in ways that contribute to a better functioning—and ultimately, better quality of life.
Generalization for a better life
The Posit Science roots-up approach emphasizes “generalization,” or the extension of benefits beyond the trained task. Here’s an example: Using a program in which you practice remembering a grocery list may help you get better at remembering grocery lists. With Posit Science programs, you may not ever practice grocery lists. By exercising the roots of memory, however, you will likely find that not only can you remember grocery lists better, you can also remember conversations with your neighbor, tasks at work, a movie you saw over the weekend, that word that is on the tip of your tongue and where you left your keys. These “generalized” changes are what improve quality of life.
Published studies
You don’t have to take our word for the effectiveness of our approach. Each of our programs has been subjected to thorough clinical testing and the results have been published in leading peer-reviewed journals. View a summary of clinical results.
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There's a lot you can do to help keep your brain in shape...
But it might not be what you expect. Check out the articles below to find out what does and does not work when it comes to sharpening your brain.
| The task: Add some dark chocolate to your diet.
The reason: When you eat chocolate you activate the systems in your brain that pump dopamine, an important brain chemical. These systems enable learning and memory, and help keep your brain sharp and fit.
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Find out what the evidence says about various approaches to brain health.
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Get 33 additional brain healthy recipes—more than a whole week's worth—plus in-depth information on nutrition for brain health.
Learn which types of physical exercise can benefit your brain—and why.
Spending time with friends and family is fun—but it's also a key to brain health and wellness.
Many people believe that crossword puzzles are good for the brain. But are they?
Learn how to choose activities that are especially good for your brain.
Review a list of learning resources for adults. Learning new things is great for the brain at any age!
View 12 fantastic benefits of brain training. From good mood to sharper vision.
Clinical Conditions
A lot of people ask us, "Will Brain Fitness training help with my condition?" Here, we explore the diagnosis and symptoms of disorders that affect brain function, memory, and processing speed—and share scientific evidence and customer stories about how our brain training exercises can help with a variety of clinical conditions.
Several studies have confirmed that the ability to remember details declines as we age. Learn why.
Age-Related Cognitive Decline
Overview
Studies confirm that the ability to remember details about our experiences, to manipulate multiple bits of information at the same time, and to identify the source of what we have learned often declines as we get older. This process actually begins as early as age 30, though it accelerates and becomes more noticeable after age 50. Although these cognitive changes can be annoying—and ultimately, can limit your activities and interests—they are part of normal aging.
Of course, there are other more serious forms of cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Often, people with normal age-related changes in cognition worry that what they're experiencing are the first symptoms of dementia. Usually a trip to the doctor can help clear up any confusion and reduce anxiety.
While normal age-related cognitive decline generally does not cause the extreme distress of dementia, it can still impact self-confidence, mood, quality of life, and even independence.
Find out more about age-related cognitive decline (here called age-associated memory impairment) >
What Can I Do?
One of the most common questions we hear is, "what can I do to stay sharp as I age?" Research has shown that the best approach to staying mentally fit is to live a brain-healthy lifestyle. This means increasing brain healthy foods in your diet, getting regular physical exercise, and adding a brain training program to your daily life. Posit Science brain training programs have been clinically proven to help people think faster, focus better, and remember more.
Learn about brain foods and sign up for our recipe of the week program >
See 14 quick tips for adding brain healthy activities to your everyday life >
Published Studies
Find out the latest research on age-related cognitive decline:
- Learn about the IMPACT study – the largest controlled randomized clinical trial of any brain fitness program to date. Participants in the active group who used the Brain Fitness Program increased their auditory processing speed by 131% and experienced an improvement in memory equivalent to approximately 10 years. Improvements generalized beyond trained tasks to other measures of memory. Three out of four people who used the Posit Science program self-reported positive changes in their everyday lives.
- Learn how just 10 hours of Posit Science training contributes to better health overall, and may even help people live longer.
- Learn how people who do 10 hours of Posit Science training have a lower risk of becoming depressed over the next year vs. people who don't do the training.
- Learn more about research that shows that Posit Science brain training reduces future medical expenditures.
Hear from cancer survivors who faced an unexpected side-effect—memory loss—and learn more about this condition.
Chemobrain
Overview
Chemotherapy, or chemo, has been helping physicians and their patients fight cancer for more than 50 years. It’s a drug-based treatment that is used for a variety of reasons: 1) to cure a specific cancer, 2) to control tumor growth, 3) to shrink tumors before surgery or radiation therapy, 4) to relieve painful symptoms, or 5) to destroy cancer cells that persist after a tumor is removed by surgery.
About 25% of chemotherapy patients report feeling “foggier” as a result of their cancer and chemotherapy treatment. They notice and report deficits in their memory, thinking, and focus. These deficits can last anywhere from a few weeks to several years.
Scientists are divided on what the exact cause of chemobrain really is. But whatever its cause, it can be a difficult and limiting residue of cancer treatment.
Read about different perspectives on chemobrain >
More information on cognitive problems after chemotherapy >
Published Studies
Find out the latest research on chemobrain.
- Up to one-third of women breast cancer survivors report difficulties with concentration, multi-tasking, and memory.
- Based on our current understanding of chemobrain’s causes and progress, cognitive therapy is likely to help with it.
- In an ongoing study of 30 participants suffering from chemobrain, researchers are measuring memory thresholds before and after training with the Brain Fitness Program.
According to the Mayo Clinic, stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the U.S. Learn more about the different ways stroke can affect life.
Stroke Recovery
Overview
According to the Mayo Clinic, stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the U.S. Some stroke survivors recover physical and mental function completely following a stroke, but about 2/3 of survivors will continue to have some type of disability throughout their life.
There are 2 types of stroke. An ischemic stroke is caused by a blocked artery in the brain, which stops blood flow to surrounding areas in the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a brain artery ruptures and there is bleeding in the brain. When either of these things happens, oxygen is cut off and brain cells begin to die around the area of the stroke within just a few minutes.
Stroke affects people very differently, because a stroke can occur in any part of the brain. For example, a stroke in the brain's occipital lobe will likely lead to impaired vision, while a stroke in your motor cortex will result in mobility problems. The type and severity of the impairment depends on the size of the stroke and the location in the brain.
Learn more about risk factors for stroke >
Treatments
Because stroke affects different functional areas of the brain, there is no single recommended treatment plan for stroke. Instead, doctors and therapists of various disciplines must work together to create an appropriate rehabilitation plan to match each individual stroke victim's needs. This may involve speech therapy, physical therapy, nutrition counseling, mental health treatment, and more.
After stroke, mental and physical capabilities are regained through the brain's ability to change, or neuroplasticity. This means that a person who loses a particular function due to stroke must work very hard and in a targeted manner to retrain their brain and regain that function. With practice, a stroke survivor can strengthen neural connections for the lost functions and regain some or all of their prior abilities.
Here is some good news: according to the National Stroke Association, 80% of strokes are preventable, through diet, lifestyle, and health education measures.
Learn how you can prevent stroke >
Published Studies
Find out the latest research on stroke recovery.
- Learn how mental practice can help stroke victims regain movement and control of their non-functioning limbs.
- Learn more about how trained cognitive therapy tasks following stroke can generalize into real-world benefits and additional improvement on untrained tasks.
- Learn more about stroke patients with aphasia (language deficits)- and how speech-language therapy can help them recover ability and increase lifespan.
Find out about the latest research in traumatic brain injury (TBI)—which affects 1.7 million people in the U.S. annually.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Overview
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects 1.7 million people in the United States annually. It typically results from a sudden, violent blow to the head or from something piercing the brain tissue. TBIs can bruise the brain, tear nerve fibers and cause bleeding within the skull, and range in severity from mild to severe. Statistics show that adults 75+ have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalization and death; the number is much higher for males than females. Soldiers are also at high risk; traumatic brain injury has been called the “signature” injury of the Iraq War.
Get the stats on traumatic brain injury >
Is there a cure?
There is no single cure for TBI. Cognitive rehabilitation is the most common approach for those who have suffered an injury to the brain. The treatment that TBI patients go through is based on neuropsychological symptoms identified in special tests. Treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms. Various cognitive tasks, such as solving logic puzzles, practicing concentration skills, and reading, are commonly used in rehabilitation, but often aren’t enough. In many cases, basic skills – attention, focus, and perceptual skills – must be re-developed and strengthened first.
The goal of cognitive rehabilitation is to help TBI patients recover to the extent possible given their specific injury. In some cases, a full recovery is possible. In others, such as the Ryan Reitmeyer story featured below, every small step forward is a reason for celebration.
More on the signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury >
Published Studies
Find out the latest research on traumatic brain injury.
- Read a recent pilot study that determines whether a group-based Cognitive Strategy Training (CST) has a significant post-treatment effect on combat veterans with mild cognitive disorder or a history of traumatic brain injury.
- See if cognitive therapy can help with depression in TBI patients.
- See how peripheral vision is compromised after TBI.
A surprisingly common corollary of HIV infection is a decline in cognitive performance. Learn more about it and listen to a podcast on the topic.
HIV-Related Cognitive Decline
Overview
Most people don't realize that a common corollary of HIV infection is a decline in cognitive performance. By some estimates, over 50% of HIV patients experience some level of cognitive impairment. HIV-related cognitive impairment is caused by a variety of factors. Most notably, cognition problems occur when the virus directly attacks the brain and cause damage to the myelin – a fatty substance that covers and protects the axons of nerve fibers. Destruction of the myelin can cause nerve impulses to slow down, affecting concentration, memory, thinking, speech, emotional expression, motor coordination, and social behavior. HIV-related cognitive impairment exists in two forms: HIV-associated minor cognitive disorder (mild) and HIV-associated dementia (severe). The degree of impairment in daily living and impact on independence is what distinguishes HIV-associate minor cognitive disorder from HIV-associated dementia. In either case, HIV-related cognitive impairment can be hard to diagnose, partly becuase the symptoms are similar to other conditions.
Click here to find out more about HIV and the Brain >
Webinar
In "HIV-Related Cognitive Decline: Can Brain Training Help?," Dr. Sean Rourke discussed the scope of HIV-related cognitive impairment and presented case studies on the benefits of Posit Science brain training to treat this common condition. Dr. Rourke was joined by two patients who shared their personal stories about using brain fitness to successfully ameliorate the symptoms of their decline.
Download the presentation slides
Published Studies
Find out the latest research on HIV-related cognitive decline.
- Learn more about the correlation between HIV-related cognitive decline and quality of life. Those with more severe HIV-related cognitive impairments have a poorer quality of life.
- For recent research on how HIV causes nervous system disease at all stages of infection with adverse effects on quality of life, adherence to medications, employment, and survival in over 50% of Canadian HIV patients.
- Read about recent research that indicates that the frequency of HIV-related neurological impairment is rising as people with HIV live longer.
- Learn how older adults with HIV may be at greater risk of HIV-related neurocognitive dysfunction than younger cohorts.
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