C8 Sciences Launches New Global Cognitive Training Studies

 

Activate™’s Impact on the Educational Landscape

In the wake of continued success with the Activate™ brain cross-training program, C8 Sciences has announced the launch of new global cognitive training studies in multiple countries. By way of ongoing research evaluations, there have been at least four randomized controlled trials in leading academic centers in which researchers selected Activate™ for their studies, specifically because it is believed to be the most promising program in the battle against ADHD.

 

In the United States

At Yale University

With a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Directors Award going to Dr. Bruce Wexler and Dr. James Leckman at Yale University School of Medicine, the U.S. study represents the first evaluation of the initialActivate™ program. Preliminary data is available on the first two years of this three-year study.

The first groups of children have completed the study with an early version of Activate™ and showed statistically significant improvements on the tests of focused attention, response inhibition or self-control, and working memory built into Activate™. Parents of children who participated in Activate™ were statistically significantly more likely to report at least a 30% reduction in their child’s ADHD symptoms than were parents of children randomly assigned to a control group.

At New York University

A highly experienced team of ADHD researchers who have published assessments of other brain training programs for ADHD are now beginning a study of Activate™ v2.0. Children will use the program at home, but a coach from the NYU clinic will monitor each child’s use and progress through the C8 Sciences portal, and call each week to review progress, answer questions and encourage training. It is a randomized controlled study with clinical symptoms and neuropsychological test outcome assessments.

In Brazil

This randomized controlled study is headed by Dr. Luis Rhode, Professor of Psychiatry at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, and president of the International Society of ADHD Research. The South American study will involve 40 children who will receive the new Activate™ v2.0 program plus 40 more who will remain in a control group watching educational videos. Children will engage in clinical, cognitive and brain imaging evaluations before and after the program, with all participants medicated yet still symptomatic of ADHD.

 

In the Netherlands

Dr. Aida Bakic of the Netherlands had previously considered CogMed for study analysis, but switched to C8 Sciences’ segment-leading Activate™ due to the fact CogMed did not appear to produce any benefits; further, children tested did not seem to take to the program, leading to low treatment completion. The children involved in Dr. Bakic’s study have used then original version of Activate™ and are set to complete treatment in January of 2015.

 

In Turkey

With a program about to be translated into Turkish to signal its launch and Turkish child psychologists coming to C8 Sciences’ New Haven, CT headquarters to be trained in the use of Activate™, Dr. Hasan Herken is directing this multi-site study at Pamukkale School of Medicine and the University of Istanbul. Dr. Herken is a leading ADHD researcher in Turkey and is also Dean of Pamukkale – one of the most competitive with regard to admissions in Turkey – and head of a nationally-funded ADHD treatment and research center. He and his colleagues will complete a randomized controlled study comparing medication alone, medication plus Activate™ v2.0 with physical exercises and Activate™ v2.0 with physical exercise without medication.

 

Other Studies Using Activate™

Other neurologic research studies around the world have also chosen Activate™ in order to explore the program’s impact on other disorders, including:

In the United States:

  • Western Michigan University: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
  • University of Minnesota: juvenile incarceration
  • SUNY Buffalo: childhood obesity
  • Korea: Brain injury/stroke
  • Japan: Mental illness

Without doubt, Activate™ from C8 Sciences is the most advanced brain-training program for ADHD in the classroom. Through cognitive training software and a physical exercise program fusion, Activate™ measures and improves executive function, delivers real-time cognitive data and improves academic outcomes.