Brain training apps are some of the most popular products on both the App Store and Google Play Store. These apps are created to provide intense mental exercises, which improve the core cognitive skills of the brain, such as memory, attention, logic & reasoning and processing speed.

The brain training app, produced by the San Francisco-based Posit Science Corporation, is available as both a freemium and a paid subscription-based service. BrainHQ has a wide range of users, including young executives, top-rung professionals, and the aging population.

Now, a recent pilot study has indicated that brain training could also have a positive impact on cancer-related cognitive impairment, also known as ‘chemobrain’. This has led to the expectation that there will be more extensive use of brain training apps, including BrainHQ, to alleviate some of the cognitive deficits experienced by cancer survivors.

While ‘chemobrain’ is reportedly experienced by as many as 90 percents of cancer survivors, there is no consensus within the medical community on the treatment. However, ongoing research has thrown up several alternatives, one of which involves BrainHQ. Researchers at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, who studied the impact of the BrainHQ in breast cancer survivors, reported an improvement in their cognitive abilities after the use of brain training technology. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science, said that although the BrainHQ technology was conceived for a wide range of people, it is important to look at it as a tool for cancer management. Considering that Brain HQ is positioned as a technology that can be used to manage a variety of conditions such as multiple sclerosis, mental illness, and aging, Mahncke is upbeat about its use in managing different types of malignancies.

With advances in medical sciences and a corresponding improvement in survival rates, greater thought is being given to the quality of life of cancer survivors. In this context, cognitive function plays a critical part in the rehabilitation of patients and there is a growing awareness of this aspect of disease management within the medical community. At present, BrainHQ is mainly used by cancer survivors at home. But over a period of time and with more research to back these exercises, Posit Science Corporation is confident that this technology will become a standard of care for cancer survivors everywhere.

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