Brain Function
Your brain consists of billions of neurons that emit electrical signals as they pass information between themselves. When you perform an activity, such as playing a game, or talking with a family member, your neurones are activated.
This is an anatomically-realistic 3D brain visualization based on real-time EEG signals
Credit: UCSF Neuroscape
huru can measure these neural activations using electroencephalography (EEG). We use these measurements to evaluate how effective a huru activity is at stimulating a particular function in the brain. We combine this with expert evaluation from our Neuroscientist Dr Prem Pillay to judge the effectiveness of a particular huru activity for developing a particular brain function. We can then take this information and translate it into simple scoring for each activity, so users can understand the direct impact of a huru activity on their long-term brain health.
Brain Function
To help you optimise your cognitive wellbeing (or that of your loved one), huru considers six critical brain functions.
Each huru activity can be considered in relation to these functions so you not only know what you need to focus on, but how certain activities can help you improve your performance.
Attention
Focusing the mind on one task at a time, blocking distractions
Language
Naming is our ability to refer to an object, person, place, concept, or idea by its proper name. To name an object, you need access to your memory, to find the specific word that you're looking for, and to say it out loud.
Executive Function
Learning & processing, decision making, planning, problem solving, functioning in social structures and adapting to unexpected changes.
The ability to perform sequences of tasks with smoothness, accuracy and coordination
Visual Spatial
Visual spatial skills help individuals find their orientation in space through taking in information from the world around them and organizing that visual information to create an understanding of meaningful patterns.
Fine Motor
Fine motor skills are the ability to make movements using the small muscles in our hands and wrists.
Memory
Short term storage and manipulation of information
The Effect of Poor Sleep
Poor sleep can have a profound effect on the brain's ability to function. Attention, Executive Function, Visual Spatial, Language, Memory and Fine Motor skills can be significantly impaired.
Sleep is very important for your Brain Health. Adequate and quality sleep is needed for body repair and consolidation of learning and memory, as well as psychological functioning such as reduced feelings of stress and increase of positive moods.
Getting the right amount of sleep also boosts your immune system, lowers your blood pressure and helps you stay at a healthy weight.
It is recommended that healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best.
A chronic lack of sleep would not only negatively impact on cognitive and memory functioning but would also have many implications on health and wellbeing later in life. As you sleep your brain is hard at work processing all the memories of the day, while you sleep you blood pressure reduces, giving your heart and blood vessels a bit of rest.
During deep sleep, the amount of glucose in your blood drops, reducing the likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes. Being sleep-deprived messes with the hormones in your brain -- leptin and ghrelin -- that control appetite.
Supercharge neural regeneration with High Quality Social Stimulation
Social interactions can involve the use Attention, Executive Function, Visual Spatial, Language and Memory. Studies have shown that engagement with socially rewarding and fulfilling activities increase the number of neural connections in the brain, protects against cognitive decline and improves emotional wellbeing.
This is an area huru are researching deeply and we would love your support, visit at our MEMORY LANE study page to find out more. Findings from MEMORY LANE will be published and available for other researchers to build on. By taking part, you can contribute to the global mission to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s and other degenerative brain conditions.