BrainHQ for Cancer Survivors and Cognitive Health

BrainHQ for Cancer Survivors: Can Brain Training Improve Chemobrain?

BrainHQ for Cancer Survivors: Can Brain Training Improve Chemobrain? Can BrainHQ improve chemobrain? Learn what the research says about cognitive training, memory, attention, and processing speed after cancer treatment.

My Perspective as a Cancer Survivor

My name is David Emerson. I was diagnosed with an incurable blood cancer called multiple myeloma in 1994. I spent the next 4 years undergoing the standard-of-care therapy plan for MM. While my conventional therapies only resulted in short partial remissions, I did sustain many short-term, long-term, and late-stage side effects.

Chemotherapy-induced cognitive dysfunction, or chemobrain, was one of the more frustrating side effects that I developed in the months after I discontinued my conventional therapies. I like to write about managing my chemobrain on PeopleBeatingCancer.org. I hope that my blog posts about managing my chemobrain can help other cancer patients and survivors struggling with this side effect.

Many cancer survivors search for a magic bullet to eliminate chemobrain. Unfortunately, there isn’t one.

However, BrainHQ is one of the few commercially available brain-training programs that has been evaluated in cancer survivors and recognized by cancer researchers.

While the evidence is not definitive, it is stronger than that supporting most brain-game apps.

For survivors struggling with attention, processing speed, or mental sharpness, BrainHQ may be worth considering as part of a broader evidence-based survivorship program that includes exercise, sleep, stress management, and anti-inflammatory nutrition.

I have come to believe that therapy-induced side effects can be life-threatening while ruining quality of life. Consider therapies shown to reduce possible side effects.

Scroll down the page and post a question or a comment if there’s anything you’d like to know about breast cancer.

Good luck,

David Emerson

The 7 Best Evidence-based Chemobrain Therapies

What is Chemo Brain? How to Help a Loved One with It & My Experience

Many cancer survivors experience cognitive problems during and after treatment. Often called chemobrain or cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), symptoms may include:

Difficulty concentrating
Memory lapses
Trouble multitasking
Slower processing speed
Difficulty finding words
Mental fatigue

For some survivors, these symptoms resolve within months. For others, cognitive difficulties can persist for years.

As a long-term cancer survivor, I understand how frustrating cognitive changes can be. Survivors often ask whether brain-training programs such as BrainHQ can improve memory, focus, and mental sharpness.

The short answer is: possibly yes—but with important caveats.

Current research suggests that certain forms of computerized cognitive training may improve specific cognitive functions affected by cancer treatment, particularly processing speed, attention, and executive function.

What Is BrainHQ?

BrainHQ is an online cognitive training platform developed by neuroscientists at Posit Science. Unlike simple puzzles or memory games, BrainHQ uses adaptive exercises that continuously adjust difficulty based on performance.

The program targets:

Attention
Processing speed
Working memory
Executive function
Visual processing
Auditory processing

The goal is to stimulate neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new neural connections.

More than 100 scientific studies have evaluated BrainHQ and related speed-of-processing interventions across multiple populations, including older adults and cancer survivors.

What Does the Research Say About BrainHQ and Chemobrain?

Study #1: Breast Cancer Survivors and BrainHQ

A randomized controlled trial led by Deborah Von Ah evaluated BrainHQ in breast cancer survivors experiencing CRCI.

Researchers found that participants using BrainHQ reported:

Improved cognitive function
Greater satisfaction with cognitive abilities
High acceptability and adherence

The intervention focused heavily on training in processing speed and attention. The authors concluded that computerized cognitive training showed promise for managing cancer-related cognitive impairment.

Study #2: National Cancer Institute Recognition

The National Cancer Institute’s Evidence-Based Cancer Control Programs database includes BrainHQ as an evidence-based intervention for breast cancer survivors experiencing cognitive deficits.

The program was designed to improve:

Processing speed
Memory
Cognitive functioning
Quality of life

The intervention typically involves approximately 10 one-hour training sessions over 6 to 8 weeks.

Study #3: Web-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation After Chemotherapy

Research involving cancer survivors who experienced cognitive symptoms after chemotherapy found that web-based cognitive rehabilitation programs based on BrainHQ principles improved cognitive outcomes and were feasible for home use.

Why Processing Speed Matters

Many survivors assume memory is the primary issue in chemobrain.

In reality, slower processing speed often drives many cognitive complaints.

When your brain processes information more slowly:

Conversations become harder to follow.
Multitasking becomes difficult.
Word retrieval slows down.
Mental fatigue develops more quickly.

BrainHQ’s strongest evidence appears to be in improving processing speed rather than simply memorization. Research from the landmark ACTIVE trial demonstrated that speed-of-processing training produced durable cognitive benefits that persisted for years.

What BrainHQ Probably Can Do

Current evidence suggests BrainHQ may help:

Improve Attention

Many survivors struggle to stay focused on tasks. Adaptive attention exercises may strengthen sustained focus and mental control.

Improve Processing Speed

This is the area with the strongest evidence. Participants often become faster at recognizing and responding to visual information.

Improve Confidence

Several studies found that participants reported feeling more cognitively capable and less impaired after training.

Support Neuroplasticity

BrainHQ exercises are designed around principles of neuroplasticity, encouraging the brain to strengthen and reorganize neural pathways.

What BrainHQ Probably Cannot Do

Cancer survivors should maintain realistic expectations.

BrainHQ is not a cure for:

Chemotherapy-induced nerve damage
Sleep deprivation
Depression
Anxiety
Hormonal changes
Fatigue
Chronic inflammation

If those underlying issues remain untreated, cognitive improvement may be limited.

Brain training works best as part of a comprehensive survivorship strategy.

Evidence-Based Therapies That May Work Alongside BrainHQ

Exercise

Aerobic exercise consistently improves cognitive function in cancer survivors.

Exercise increases:

Cerebral blood flow
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
Neuroplasticity
Mood

Many studies show that exercise can reduce cancer-related cognitive impairment. It may be the single most effective non-drug intervention available.

Sleep Optimization

Poor sleep worsens memory, concentration, and executive function.

Before investing heavily in cognitive training, address:

Sleep apnea
Insomnia
Sleep quality
Sleep duration

Meditation

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has demonstrated benefits for cognitive symptoms, stress, and quality of life in cancer survivors.

Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition

Emerging evidence suggests chronic inflammation contributes to cognitive dysfunction after cancer treatment.

Focus on:

Fruits
Vegetables
Omega-3 fatty acids
Whole grains
Healthy fats

Social Engagement

Social isolation accelerates cognitive decline. Meaningful social interaction remains one of the most powerful cognitive interventions available.

How to Use BrainHQ Effectively

If you decide to try BrainHQ:

Train consistently rather than sporadically.
Start with 15–20 minutes per session.
Aim for 3–5 sessions weekly.
Track improvements in daily functioning.
Combine training with exercise and sleep optimization.
Continue for at least 6–8 weeks before evaluating results.

Key Takeaways

Chemobrain affects millions of cancer survivors.
BrainHQ is a computerized cognitive training platform designed to improve processing speed, attention, and memory.
Clinical studies in breast cancer survivors have demonstrated improvements in cognitive outcomes and patient-reported function.
Processing speed training appears to be the most promising component.
BrainHQ is not a cure for chemobrain, but it may help some survivors improve cognitive performance.
Best results are likely when combined with exercise, sleep optimization, stress reduction, and healthy nutrition.

Research References

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