Brain health is optimizing the brain to perform at its best on a daily basis — by how we use it and care for it.
We know that what is good for our physical health is also good for our brain's health: sleep, exercise and nutrition. Three decades of cognitive neuroscience reveals that how we use our brain is just as critical: how we think, innovate, problem solve, deal with stress, and cultivate meaningful connections.
Brain health is multidimensional and there are multiple pathways to improve it. At the Center for BrainHealth, we look at brain health holistically: it is about harnessing your brain skills to thrive in your life.
At any age, your brain's potential has no limit.
The concept of IQ might have been useful 100 years ago when it was developed, when repetitive, assembly-line work was the norm and the ability to remember a lot of information was prized.
But this concept is limiting – today, complex skills such as adaptability, innovation, meaningful social connection, and deriving meaning from data are the strongest drivers of success, not to mention our ability to use computers and phones to store and retrieve almost infinite amounts of data.
So what is the “IQ test” for the 21st century?
Our brain health researchers developed the BrainHealth Index: the world’s first holistic measure of brain health, with a unique focus on the brain’s ability to improve over time. This holistic measure of brain health and performance establishes a composite score and highlights contributing factors of brain health, including: clarity, emotional balance and connectedness.
You have the agency to harness your brain’s upward potential.
Common thinking once held that after our mid-20s, the only brain change possible was decline. In the late 1990s science began to reveal the power of neuroplasticity, and researchers started exploring the extent to which the brain can grow stronger, adapt and work better throughout our lifespan.
Our research points to a blueprint for brain health, a practical framework for proactive cognitive care, shifting the focus from passive observation to intentional, daily habits. It emphasizes a holistic approach that balances strategic mental energy management with consistent routine to unlock the brain's lifelong potential for growth and resilience.
In 1999, the concept of brain health was so new that Center for BrainHealth® was able to trademark the term. Since then, we have continued to pioneer research to gain a fuller understanding of brain health — and how to apply it for real-world benefit.
Traditional thinking about brain health is rooted in a medical model that focuses on disease, disorder and deficits. However, our researchers discovered that interventions designed to help populations with specific deficits also benefited people facing entirely different challenges.
Ultimately, this research revealed that these same interventions can even help healthy individuals strengthen their brain health. Our findings show that proactive brain health empowers people to truly thrive in their everyday lives.