The
Neuroscience of
Healthy Brain Aging
Dementia Is Highly Preventable... But NOT Reversible
An EEG brain map measures how healthy your brain is functioning, much like an EKG measures heart function.
Neurons that continually produce too much electricity can eventually break down and cause cognitive decline.
An EEG brain map can help identify nutrient deficiencies that may contribute to accelerated cell damage, which is an increased risk factor for dementia.
An EEG brain map every 3 to 5 years may be one of the best prevention strategies to help keep your brain healthy and sharp as you age.
Resting-state prefrontal EEG biomarkers in correlation with cognitive scores in elderly individuals
"The resting-state EEG biomarkers showed significant changes in people with early cognitive decline and correlated well with the MMSE scores. Resting-state EEG slowing measured in the prefrontal regions may be useful for the screening and follow-up of global cognitive decline in elderly individuals".
Choi, J., Ku, B., You, Y.G. et al. Resting-state prefrontal EEG biomarkers in correlation with MMSE scores in elderly individuals. Sci Rep 9, 10468 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-46789-2
The relationship between stress and Alzheimer's disease
"Neurodegenerative diseases involve the devastating loss of cognitive and motor function which is stressful in itself, but can also disrupt neural circuits that mediate stress responses. Given the broad basis of evidence from many labs and different animal models, the consensus is that stress, in almost any form, accelerates AD pathogenesis, including extracellular amyloid plaque deposition and intracellular Tau tangle formation.
Justice NJ. The relationship between stress and Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Stress. 2018;8:127-133. Published 2018 Apr 21. doi:10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.04.002
Tuning Up the Old Brain with New Tricks: Attention Training via Neurofeedback
"We conclude that real-time neurofeedback, combining traditional frequency and new neuro-markers, promises to provide new hope for brain and cognitive training in older adults".
Jiang Y, Abiri R, Zhao X. Tuning Up the Old Brain with New Tricks: Attention Training via Neurofeedback. Front Aging Neurosci. 2017;9:52. Published 2017 Mar 13. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2017.00052
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an EEG Brain Map?
An EEG brain map objectively measures brain function for people between the ages of 6 and 92. It identifies specific regions of the brain that may be producing too much, or too little electrical activity compared to a controlled, normative database of your same age and gender.
A brain map takes less than an hour to record and is neither invasive nor painful. You simply wear a cap with 19 sensors that record your brain’s electrical activity while you relax in a chair. It is similar to having an EKG record your heart. It’s as safe as a stethoscope!
Is there supporting research
validating EEG brain mapping?
Yes, there are hundreds of research studies on EEG for a wide variety of symptoms, including memory problems, anxiety, depression, traumatic brain injury (TBI), ADD/ADHD, and processing issues.
EEG is considered the “Gold Standard” in neuroscience for measuring real-time brain function. EEG brain mapping is used by the Department of Defense as well as top institutions including UCLA, UCSD, Stanford and many others.
Will insurance pay for my EEG brain map?
Even though EEG brain mapping has hundreds of research studies, currently, insurance does not pay or reimburse for EEG brain maps. The current insurance model is to prescribe medications solely based on symptoms and history. EEG technology is still a few years away from being considered a “main stream” medical diagnostic tool. However, the Brain Performance Center has recently reduced the price for a full EEG brain map to only $500 (the price for the last 5 years has been $975). This helps make it an affordable, out-of-pocket brain health investment.
How will a brain map help me?
Without an EEG brain map, healthcare providers and therapists rely solely on subjective information like symptoms and history. Neuroscience research has identified 6 different types of brain physiology that can produce anxiety symptoms and 6 others that can produce ADHD symptoms.
Many symptoms can be the result of abnormal brain activity during sleep cycles. Understanding the physiological source is imperative to any treatment plan. EEG brain mapping is the technology that provides an objective assessment to help direct the most effective brain health interventions.
Can I record a brain map even if I
am currently taking medication?
Yes, continue to take your medications prescribed by your doctor. We know how medications affect your brain map and can account for this when reviewing the results.
How do I schedule an EEG brain map?
Based on my EEG brain map,
will you recommend specific interventions?
An EEG brain map can help identify if your brain function is being affected by nutritional deficiencies, environmental factors, genetic factors, sleep cycle dysfunction, or due to post-concussion activity. If one or more of these are identified, we will recommend specific nutritional interventions, changes to your diet, changes in lifestyle, specific genetic tests, or EEG biofeedback sessions (Neurofeedback) to optimize your brain’s electrical activity.
Who reviews my brain map results with me?
Once your brain map is fully processed, you will have a 1-hour consultation to review your brain map findings with our Director of Neuroscience, Bryan Hixson. Mr. Hixson is one of the leading neuroscience experts in quantitative EEG brain mapping, neurocognitive testing, neurofeedback brain training, and nutritional cellular health.
Mr. Hixson is a brain health expert consultant for AARP’s Staying Sharp platform, serving 38 million members. He is also the Director of Digital Brain Health for Sharecare/DoctorOz.com, the founder and neuroscience director of the Brain Performance Centers, and an EEG brain mapping contractor for the U.S. Army. Additionally, Mr. Hixson is the co-founder of BrainSpan Laboratories, which is used by over 1,000 doctors nationwide. It is the most clinically validated blood spot test available for optimizing fatty acids related to brain health.