Executive functions - the core of Cognuse's exercises
The BrainTraining cognitive training exercises are designed specifically to target a set of cognitive functions of the brain referred to as executive functions. The cognitive functions in general are defined as skills necessary for managing everyday thinking and behaviour-related tasks - both, simple and complicated, for handling social situations and planning ahead.
The executive functions are referred to as abilities that enable goal-oriented behavior, such as the ability to plan and execute a goal or action, including skills such as flexibility, theory of mind, anticipation, self-regulation, working memory and inhibition. Whereas all cognitive skills play an important role in managing day-to-day life challenges, Cognuse has set out to specifically address the training of executive functions, since - in addition to serving a support role to other cognitive skills e.g. attention, reactions, language, memory etc - they serve as a prerequisite for leading an independent, self-managed life.
For a more in depth but easily understandable overview of executive functions and their impact, visit www.sharpbrains.com.
In order to establish and ensure the scientific and clinical validity of our programmes, the exercise design and development at Cognuse are carried out in close, continuous cooperation with our Scientific Advisory Board members as well as pilot-institutions, who conduct patient studies on our products.
The exercise design is a process that first sets out to construct exercise concepts in a way that makes them specifically address the executive functions of the brain. However, other cognitive functions are also involved, varying in extent and scale from exercise to exercise. As the exercise is drafted, together with our Scientific Advisory Board, we set out to test the validity of the exercises, in order to fine-tune the concepts. As the exercise concept is finalized, the exercise is included and published in the BrainTraining Programme and linked to our Database, that stores all statistical data created by our clients.
References
Please see Publications for references and more information on the scientific background
