Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science, leads BrainHQ, a brain training platform with unmatched peer-reviewed backing. A neuroscientist who studied under brain plasticity pioneer Dr. Michael Merzenich, Henry transitioned from McKinsey to applying plasticity research to real-world health. We discussed the capabilities of brain training, common industry criticisms, and how to maintain lifelong brain health.
In this episode, we cover:
How Henry went from studying brain plasticity in rats in Merzenich’s lab to building BrainHQ
Why Posit Science now thinks of their work as brain training rather than cognitive training — and what that distinction means
How brain plasticity drives brain health
How BrainHQ exercises are designed to target information processing at the most fundamental level
The transfer debate: what their clinical trials actually showed (including a 20-year, $75 million NIH study on its impact on dementia risk)
Why crossword puzzles probably won’t protect you from Alzheimer’s, and what makes effective brain training different from cognitive stimulation
Brain training beyond the screen: racquet sports, musical instruments, foreign languages, and other real-world activities that drive the protective plasticity
Why we’ve accidentally squeezed skill learning out of education and daily life — and what that’s costing us
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