Brain Health & Cognitive Assessment: What Is BrainView?
Your brain plays a role in nearly everything you do—from remembering a familiar face to concentrating at work, processing information, and making everyday decisions. But when something changes, it isn’t always easy to understand why.
Memory problems, difficulty concentrating, mental fatigue, and “brain fog” can have many possible causes. That’s why having more information about how the brain is functioning can be valuable when evaluating cognitive health.
At Exodus Healthcare Network, we’re committed to providing comprehensive, patient-centered care and giving our providers access to tools that can help them make more informed healthcare decisions. As part of that commitment, Exodus offers access to BrainView technology for objective brain and cognitive assessment.
What Is BrainView?
BrainView is an FDA-cleared Class II medical device system designed to help healthcare providers collect and evaluate objective neurophysiological information.
The system incorporates technologies including electroencephalography (EEG), event-related potentials (ERP), and neuropsychological testing. These measurements can provide additional information related to areas of brain function such as:
- Memory
- Attention and concentration
- Information processing
- Reaction time
- Executive function
- Brain electrical activity
BrainView is not intended to replace a medical history, physical examination, laboratory testing, or a provider’s clinical judgment. Instead, the information can serve as another piece of the clinical picture when a healthcare provider is evaluating cognitive or neurological concerns.
Why Would Someone Need a Cognitive Assessment?
Changes in cognitive function don’t always look the same from person to person.
Someone may notice:
- Forgetting things more frequently
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble finding the right words
- Slower processing of information
- Increased mental fatigue
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
- Feeling unusually “foggy”
- Changes in attention or memory
These symptoms do not automatically mean someone has dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Cognitive symptoms can have many possible causes, including sleep problems, stress, medications, mood disorders, neurological conditions, injuries, and other medical issues.
That’s why a comprehensive evaluation matters.
A cognitive assessment can provide your healthcare provider with additional objective information to consider alongside your symptoms, medical history, and other clinical findings.
How Does BrainView Testing Work?
One of the advantages of BrainView is that the assessment is non-invasive.
During a BrainView cognitive assessment, electrodes are placed on the scalp to record electrical activity in the brain. The patient also completes computerized tasks designed to evaluate different aspects of cognitive performance.
BrainView’s patient information describes the cognitive assessment as typically taking approximately 20–30 minutes, with EEG recordings collected while cognitive tasks are performed.
EEG: Measuring Brain Activity
An electroencephalogram (EEG) records electrical activity produced by the brain.
EEG information can provide clinicians with objective data about brain activity and is used in the evaluation of a variety of neurological conditions.
BrainView incorporates EEG data into its broader assessment system.
ERP: Measuring How the Brain Processes Information
Event-related potentials (ERPs) are changes in brain activity associated with specific stimuli or tasks.
Because ERP measurements can provide information about how quickly and efficiently the brain responds to information, they can add another dimension to a cognitive assessment.
Cognitive Testing
BrainView also incorporates computerized neuropsychological testing.
Tasks can evaluate areas such as:
- Reaction time
- Attention
- Response consistency
- Information processing
- Other aspects of cognitive performance
Together, these measurements can provide a more comprehensive picture than relying on a single symptom or questionnaire alone.
Brain Fog vs. Cognitive Decline: What’s the Difference?
“Brain fog” is a common way people describe difficulty thinking clearly, concentrating, or remembering information.
It can feel like knowing what you want to say but struggling to find the right word, repeatedly forgetting why you entered a room, or having trouble focusing like you used to.
Brain fog doesn’t necessarily indicate a neurological disease.
However, persistent or worsening changes in memory, concentration, or thinking deserve attention—particularly when they begin interfering with work, relationships, or everyday activities.
If you’ve noticed changes that concern you, talking with a healthcare provider is a good place to start.
Can BrainView Help With Memory Loss?
BrainView is designed to provide clinicians with objective neurophysiological information that may be useful when evaluating memory loss and cognitive impairment.
Importantly, BrainView testing should be viewed as one component of a broader clinical evaluation, rather than a standalone diagnosis.
Your provider may consider BrainView results together with your symptoms, medical history, medications, physical examination, and other diagnostic information.
What About Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia?
BrainView should not be presented as an Alzheimer’s diagnostic test.
BrainView’s manufacturer describes ongoing research into AI-based biomarkers related to conditions including Alzheimer’s disease. However, those research efforts should not be confused with saying that the current BrainView system independently diagnoses Alzheimer’s disease.
If you or someone you love is experiencing persistent memory changes, confusion, or other cognitive symptoms, the right first step is to speak with a qualified healthcare provider.
Early evaluation can help determine what may be contributing to the changes and what additional testing or care may be appropriate.
Who Might Benefit From Talking to Their Provider About Cognitive Testing?
You may want to talk with your healthcare provider if you’ve noticed changes in areas such as:
- Memory: Forgetting appointments, conversations, names, or recently learned information.
- Attention: Difficulty staying focused or completing tasks.
- Processing speed: Feeling like it takes longer to understand or respond to information.
- Executive function: Having difficulty organizing, planning, or completing familiar activities.
- Brain fog: Persistent difficulty thinking clearly or feeling mentally sharp.
Again, these symptoms can have many causes. Experiencing one of these symptoms does not mean you have a neurological disease.
A More Objective Look at Brain Health
One of the biggest challenges in evaluating cognitive health is that many symptoms are subjective.
BrainView gives healthcare providers access to objective EEG, ERP, and cognitive-performance data that can be considered alongside the patient’s own experience.
That doesn’t mean technology replaces the relationship between a patient and their provider. It means providers may have more information to consider when evaluating a patient’s concerns.
Brain Health Is Part of Your Overall Health
We regularly monitor things like blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar because changes can provide important information about our health.
Our brains deserve that same attention.
If you have noticed changes in your memory, concentration, processing speed, or overall cognitive function, don’t ignore them—and don’t immediately assume the worst.
Start with a conversation.
Your healthcare provider can help determine whether additional evaluation, including cognitive assessment, may be appropriate for you.
Interested in Learning More About BrainView?
Exodus Healthcare Network is proud to offer comprehensive healthcare services to patients in Magna, West Valley City, and surrounding Utah communities.
If you have questions about BrainView or are concerned about changes in your memory, concentration, or cognitive health, talk with your Exodus healthcare provider.
Your brain health matters. And understanding it is a great place to start.
Learn more about BrainView or talk with an Exodus healthcare provider today.
