Respected dementia experts and Brain+ get EU grant to research
how to optimize digital at-home treatments for people with dementia
- The grant covers research into the two main therapeutic technologies of Brain+, digitalized Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST), and Computerized Cognitive Training (CCT).
- he grant will also examine the hypothesized synergy effects of combining CST with CCT, which is a key research step for the third Brain+ product in the pipeline, ‘CST-for-MCI’.
- University of Gothenburg is hosting the grant, which has a budget of €48,405, and is funded by the EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research.
The EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research has granted 496,000SEK (or 48,405 euros) to an international research consortium consisting of the University of York Europe Campus, Greece, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Brain+ A/S, Denmark, Via University College, Denmark, University of Almeria, Spain, Research Institutes of Sweden, University of Murcia, Spain, University of Dresden, Germany, and the University of Koc, Turkey to do develop a framework for delivering digitized interventions for people with dementia, with a special focus on Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) and Computerized Cognitive Training (CCT), the two main therapeutic technologies of Brain+.
“We have had a successful history of funding research and development through grants. This is the third grant we do with our close research partner from the University of Gothenburg. The consortium combines the knowledge of 13 leading dementia experts and institutions across Europe, which is a foundational way for Brain+ to work and build awareness, acceptance, and fit to different markets. We are 19 Brain+ employees, but when we count all our research partners that number doubles or even triples. This JPDN grant-funded research is another important step forward in maturing our CST and CCT technologies.”
Kim Baden-Kristensen, CEO & Co-founder of Brain+
The grant workgroup and purpose
The workgroup is highly multi-disciplinary consisting of experimental psychologists, cognitive scientists, neuroscientists, digital solutions companies, occupational therapists, and engineers, the majority of whom have experience or expertise in working with people with dementia and caregivers. The full 16-person working group includes experts from Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Germany, and Turkey. The project has three sub-work groups and aims, which are all contributing to the progress of the Brain+ technologies and product pipeline; The first will examine Computerized Cognitive Training, and in particular, a unique training methodology relevant to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and people with dementia (for use in Brain+ pipeline product for MCI); the second group will research how to best use multiple technologies in combination, focusing especially on Cognitive Training and Psychosocial Therapy (the two primary Brain+ therapy methods); and the third group will how best to integrate digitized psychosocial and cognitive training into a single digital platform for intervention (which is exactly what Brain+ will do for its pipeline product for MCI). In short, all three work groups contribute to the development of the Brain+ pipeline. Find more details on the work in the Supplementary information sections.
Contact Information
CEO and Co-founder: Kim Baden-Kristensen, + 45 31393317, kim@brain-plus.com
Mission of Brain+
The mission of Brain+ is to make effective treatments for cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s accessible to everyone as digital therapeutics
Supplementary information
Details on the grant work groups and purpose
The first group will research Cognitive training and in particular how to exploit a unique memory and attention-focused training methodology for in early stages of dementia. This methodology is the same that Brain+ is developing in another EU-grant funded project with the University of Gothenburg and is planning to as a key ingredient for its product for people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) (See ‘About Brain+ Product Pipeline’ below).
The second group will research the Digitization of Cognitive Training and Psychosocial Therapy. This sub-group aims to evaluate how best to utilize multiple technologies for digitized cognitive training and psychosocial therapy. Combining different technologies as part of an intervention program is considered also to improve adherence (motivation) and permit a greater transfer of training effects to real-world relevant problems. Brain+ intends to combine its two main therapeutic methods, Cognitive Stimulation Therapy and Computerized Cognitive Training in its pipeline product for MCI, and this research will move this work forward.
The third group will research how best to integrate digitized psychosocial and cognitive training into a single digital platform for intervention. This is the more practical implementation research work related to combining Cognitive Stimulation Therapy and Computerized Cognitive Training effectively on one platform. This is thus the initial steps that will lead to the creation of the CST-for-MCI product for Brain+.
Composition of the JPDN-grant working group
Coordinator:
- Dr (Assoc. Prof) Robert Lowe, Department of Applied IT, Forskningsgången 6, 41756 Göteborg University of Gothenburg, and Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) Email: robert.lowe@gu.se
Participants:
- Dr. (Assoc. Professor) Qarin Lood, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Dr. (Senior Assoc. Professor) Rikke Gregersen, Via College, Denmark
- Dr. Emilia Barakova, Eindhoven University of Technology
- Dr. Pierre Gander, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Dr. Simon Nielsen: Brain+, Denmark
- Ph.D., Mia Yuan Dong, Brain+
- Ph.D. Imy Khan, Univ of Gothenburg
- PostDoc, Nahid Zokai, Brain+, University of Oxford
- Prof. Ana B.Vivas, University of York Europe Campus, Greece
- Prof. Bernhard Hommel, University of Dresden, Germany
- Prof. Engin Erzin, University of Koc, Turkey
- Prof. Luis Fuentes Melero, University of Murcia, Spain
- Prof. Maria Angeles Estevez, University of Almeria, Spain
- Prof. Maria Dolores Roldan Tapia, University of Almeria, Spain
- Prof. Synneve Dahlin-Ivanoff, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Mr. Jacob Michelsen: RISE AB, Sweden
About the Brain+ product pipeline
The Company has three product programs; 1) CST*-Therapist Companion, for people with mild-to-moderate dementia, 2) CST-Home Care, for people with mild-to-moderate dementia, and 3) CST-for-MCI, for people with mild cognitive impairment.
*Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST)
Program 1: The first is the recently launched CST – Therapist Companion, aiming to help therapists deliver CST group sessions in clinics. This product family includes an add-on product, CST-Home Companion, that allows people in CST group sessions to practice at home in-between sessions. A 2nd version of the CST-Therapist Companion product is already in development (expected Class 1 MDR). This product only relies on the CST-technology.
Program 2: The second, is the CST Home Care product (expected Class 1/2a MDR). This product allows people who have been through a CST group session to do CST in the comfort of their own homes and to maintain benefits from CST group sessions. This product only relies on the CST-technology.
Program 3: The third, is CST-for-MCI aiming to delay the cognitive decline in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) (expected Class 2a MDR)), each within a different regulatory class. The CST-for MCI product will combine the three Brain+ core technologies (1. CST, 2. CCT, and 3. the Starry Night cognitive test) into one product.
