Brain Training
That Works
Watch this 1-minute video for an overview of our SMART brain training.
SMART™ brain training is the proprietary methodology developed and tested by our researchers and other teams over three decades. It teaches techniques that prime the brain, calibrate mental energy, reinforce strategic thinking and ignite innovation.
This methodology provides the building blocks of our brain training programs for individual and group needs, fostering metacognitive skills that empower people to manage their own thinking — knowing what to do, how to do it, and how to self-regulate along the way.
Chapman, S. B., et al. “Neural Mechanisms of Brain Plasticity With Complex Cognitive Training in Healthy Seniors.” Cerebral Cortex, vol. 25, no. 2, 2013, pp. 396–405., doi:10.1093/cercor/bht234.12
Neuroplasticity means our brain can change and adapt. We can rewire our brain to be stronger, more resilient and more efficient across the entire lifespan. By improving how we think, we can intentionally and measurably change our brain and enhance thinking, memory, attention and mood in ways that greatly improve quality of life and our ability to adapt.
SMART brain training was designed by cognitive neuroscientists at Center for BrainHealth. Multiple clinical trials across various populations have demonstrated SMART can promote gains in core cognitive areas and strengthen key brain networks – including functions that support reasoning, planning, decision-making, judgment and emotional regulation. Importantly, cognitive gains following training have also been associated with markers of neural plasticity, including increased brain blood flow and brain network connectivity in frontal networks as well as enhanced white matter integrity.
Randomized critical trials, fueled by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense and private philanthropists, have shown that SMART improves core areas and strengthens the brain's frontal lobe networks — regions that support planning, reasoning, decision-making and emotional management.
SMART focuses on executive, higher-order thinking skills, focusing on:
- Strategic Attention — Efficiently manage time and cognitive resources to improve focus and prioritize important information.
- Integrative Reasoning — Transform thoughts into high-level ideas for improved problem solving, memory and reasoning.
- Innovation — Shift routine thinking into action plans and diverse perspectives that work to propel your personal and professional goals.
Early adolescence is an optimal time to enhance learning, but many educators do not have the benefit of cognitive training that teaches the scientific methods to foster these skills.
Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Training (SMART) for Educators approaches brain health in adolescence by merging positive-growth mindset with instruction, experience and practice using higher order thinking and reflecting on individual metacognitive progress.
Teachers trained in SMART through our Adolescent Reasoning Initiative program have reached 100K+ middle and high school students, supporting academic improvement in Texas and four other states.