I have long been interested in finding non-invasive ways to assess and optimize my mental fitness, from EEG-based systems to brain training apps. So when I came across Brain Gauge, a new clinically validated cognitive assessment tool, I knew I had to try it out. With Brain Gauge, in under 15 minutes you can complete a comprehensive brain health assessment and gain valuable insights about your mental fitness.
What is Brain Gauge?
Brain Gauge is a cognitive assessment tool that uses touch-based sensory testing to measure brain health. Although it resembles a computer mouse, the device is backed by clinically validated science and patented technology [1]. Brain Gauge lets you test eight essential components of brain health: Speed, Focus, Fatigue, Accuracy, Sequencing, Timing Perception, Plasticity, and Connectivity, and gives you a comprehensive mental fitness score (called the “corticalmetric”).
The Brain Gauge system consists of two components – a hardware “mouse” that connects to your computer, and a companion app (installed on your computer) that is used to conduct assessments and analyze results.
Save on Brain Gauge Systems!
Get Brain Gauge for as low as $19.99/month
(or save up to $500)
How Does Brain Gauge Work? (The Science Behind Brain Gauge)
Brain Gauge relies on the sense of touch – our somatosensory systems are well suited for testing the central nervous system (CNS) because they are organized so that adjacent regions on the skin project to adjacent cortical regions. Brain Gauge works by sending gentle vibrations to your fingertips to precisely activate these nerves in your brain.
More than 50 years of neuroscience research has yielded a great deal of information about the nature of the interactions within and between the adjacent cortical regions as they are activated by tactile stimuli. The two tactile stimuli on the Brain Gauge can be precisely controlled and delivered to these regions. Brain Gauge is able to detect extremely subtle differences in cognitive function. It can even tell when something affects your brain, even if you can’t – from alcohol and sedatives, to caffeine and nootropics, to exercise, meditation, and sleep. These methods have been validated by over 50 years of clinical studies, and researchers across the globe are using Brain Gauge to assess brain health in subjects with numerous neurological conditions, including concussions and traumatic brain injury (TBI), autism, substance abuse, chronic pain, the impact of pharmacological manipulation, and aging-related neurocognitive decline.
During each test, the two raised tips on the Brain Gauge device will “buzz” your fingers in a specific way. The web-based Brain Gauge app will then ask questions about what you felt (i.e., which finger vibrated first, which finger vibrated with more intensity, which finger vibrated for a longer duration, etc.) and then analyze your responses using clinically proven neuroscience.
These methods have been validated by over 50 years of clinical studies.
Who Should Be Using Brain Gauge?
Brain Gauge offers brain health testing for everyone – from individuals and families interested in monitoring and optimizing brain health to athletes of all levels, especially those who participate in sports that deal with lots of acute head trauma, such as (American) football and soccer.
Brain Gauge Models
There are three Brain Gauge models that differ in the number of software features and users each supports:
- Brain Gauge Home – Track eight essential components of brain health using scientifically proven methods for up to five people. Perfect for families
- Brain Gauge Pro – Similar to Brain Gauge Home, but allows for unlimited subjects, remote testing, and customized tests. Great for chiropractors, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and other clinicians
- Brain Gauge MD – an FDA listed Class II, prescription-only medical device that is popular with physicians and physical therapists. Testing may be covered by insurance!
My Results Quantifying My Brain Health With Brain Gauge
Having dealt with my fair share of hard hits to the head over the years, from playing youth and high school (American) football to soccer (or “football,” to most of the world) as an adult, I had concerns I might uncover some existing issues.
I set up the Brain Gauge unit, and conducted an initial assessment of my cognitive health by taking their default battery of tests in the following categories:
- Focus – your brain’s ability to concentrate on the task at hand
- Speed – your brain’s ability to react to changes in your environment
- Fatigue – how quickly your brain begins to tire during mentally demanding tasks
- Accuracy – your brain’s ability to detect small differences between sensations
- Sequencing – your brain’s ability to keep track of the order of events
- Time Perception – your brain’s ability to keep track of the duration of events
- Plasticity – your brain’s ability to respond and adapt to changes in your surroundings
- Connectivity – how well different regions of your brain are able to communicate and coordinate
My Initial Brain Gauge Results
My overall corticalmetric score was a 90/100 – not bad, but definitely room for improvement! Fortunately, nothing stood out to indicate that I had any pre-existing brain trauma. What mainly detracted from my score was my “fatigue,” which totally made sense because I took the test in the early evening, after a mentally challenging day. However, when I took the same tests in the late morning (after having my morning cup of coffee), my corticalmetric score shot up to 97 out of 100, followed by a 98 out of 100 a few weeks later!
My Follow-Up Brain Gauge Results
Using Brain Gauge to Learn What Negatively Affects Brain Health
Even if your scores are “optimal,” Brain Gauge can be an invaluable tool to not only discover new ways of optimizing cognitive performance but also monitor responses to and symptoms of:
- Diet, supplements, alcohol, caffeine, nootropics, and medication
- Effects of travel / jet lag
- Acute head trauma after participating in contact sports
- Chronic pain, ADHD and neurodevelopmental conditions
- Poor sleep
- Brain fog
- Migraines
- Indoor air quality, allergies
Conclusion
Brain Gauge offers a simple, affordable way to quantify and monitor you and your family’s brain health, and even if you don’t use it every day it is an invaluable tool for conducting periodic reassessments. They recently updated their pricing to make it affordable to nearly every family looking to make an investment in their wellbeing. If Brain Gauge is out of your budget, search around for a practitioner near you that offers Brain Gauge assessments.
Save on Brain Gauge Systems!
Get Brain Gauge for as low as $19.99/month
(or save up to $500)
Resources
Brain Gauge (website)
Brain Gauge White Papers
Corticalmetrics Publications
References
[1] Corticalmetrics publications – 120+ publications featuring Brain Gauge technology
