Brain Health
Cognitive training, ILF neurofeedback and research-informed innovation, with clinical oversight.
Three tracks, one pathway
At APIS Clinic, cognitive training is offered as part of a wider brain-health and support pathway. It is not a replacement for clinical assessment, medication, therapy or crisis care, but it may be useful for people who want practical support with focus, consistency, task initiation and everyday cognitive functioning.
- Structured exercises for attention and working memory
- Based on repetition, feedback and neuroplasticity
- May support focus, consistency and response control
- Available through APIS, including Propel ADHD access
- Focus and consistency
- Task initiation
- Working memory
- Impulsivity and response control
- Cognitive fatigue
- Everyday executive functioning
ILF (infra-low frequency) neurofeedback is a form of EEG-based brain training. Sensors placed on the scalp monitor very slow patterns of brain activity while you watch a screen or listen to sounds that gently change in response to the activity being detected.
- Attention
- Alertness
- Relaxation
- Emotional responses
- Feeling settled
APIS Clinic is interested in the future of brain health, applied neuroscience and digital tools that may support attention, self-regulation and everyday functioning.
- Advancing brain health
- Applied neuroscience
- Better lives
01Track 1
Cognitive Training
Cognitive training uses structured, repeated mental exercises to practise specific thinking skills such as attention, working memory, response control, processing speed and mental flexibility.
What is cognitive training?
Cognitive training is a structured way of exercising particular brain-based skills. It may involve:
- Short, repeated mental exercises
- Game-based attention and memory tasks
- Practising focus, response control and flexibility
- Tracking progress over time
- Building consistency through regular use
- Linking training back to real-life goals
The aim is not to “change personality” or create a perfect brain. The aim is to practise useful cognitive skills in a structured and repeatable way.
Skills cognitive training may support
Attention
Staying with a task, returning after distraction, and sustaining focus for longer.Working memory
Holding information in mind long enough to use it, follow instructions or complete multi-step tasks.Response control
Pausing before acting, reducing impulsive responses and improving accuracy.Mental flexibility
Shifting between tasks, adapting to change and recovering after interruption.Processing consistency
Reducing variability in performance and helping the brain practise steadier responding.Task initiation
Building momentum to start tasks rather than becoming stuck, avoidant or overwhelmed.
How does cognitive training help?
Cognitive training works through practice, repetition and feedback.
Read the full explanation
The brain learns by repeating patterns. At first, a new skill can feel effortful and requires conscious attention. With repetition, the brain strengthens the pathways involved in that skill. Over time, some responses may become smoother, more automatic and easier to access.
This is linked to the concept of neuroplasticity: the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganise through experience, repetition and learning. Think of learning to tie shoelaces: at first the task needs full attention, but with repeated practice the brain builds stronger connections and the action becomes more automatic.
Cognitive training uses the same broad principle: repeated practice may help reinforce useful attention, memory and self-regulation patterns.
Neuroplasticity in simple terms
Neuroplasticity means the brain can change through experience. When we practise something repeatedly:
- Step 1: Brain pathways involved in that skill are activated
- Step 2: Repeated activation can strengthen those pathways
- Step 3: Feedback helps the brain adjust and improve
- Step 4: Skills may become smoother with practice
- Step 5: New patterns can gradually become easier to use
This is why repeated, structured practice matters. The aim is not instant change. The aim is gradual strengthening of useful cognitive patterns over time.
Cognitive training at APIS Clinic
At APIS Clinic, cognitive training is considered as part of a personalised support plan. It may sit alongside:
- ADHD assessment
- Autism or AuDHD formulation
- Trait-led support
- Psychoeducation
- Practical strategies
- Medication discussion where appropriate
- ILF neurofeedback where suitable
- Workplace or study adjustments
Cognitive training is not presented as a stand-alone cure. It is one possible support option within a wider clinical understanding of the person.
Cognitive training · a
Cogmed Working Memory Training
Train attention. Strengthen working memory. Build cognitive resilience.
Cogmed is a research-based digital cognitive training programme specifically designed to exercise working memory and attentional control — cognitive functions that are closely linked to learning, organisation, concentration and the ability to hold and manipulate information in mind.
The programme uses a series of structured, adaptive exercises that automatically adjust their difficulty according to the individual’s performance. This creates a progressively challenging training environment aimed at engaging the frontoparietal and executive-attentional networks involved in working-memory processing.
Cogmed has been evaluated in an extensive body of peer-reviewed research, including studies involving children and adults with ADHD, as well as other populations experiencing working-memory and attentional difficulties. Research has examined improvements in working-memory performance, attentional functioning and the persistence of cognitive-training effects over time.
At APIS Clinic, Cogmed can form part of a broader non-pharmacological and neurocognitive intervention pathway. It may be particularly suitable for individuals who wish to strengthen cognitive skills alongside psychoeducation, behavioural strategies or other ADHD interventions.
Suitable for
- ADHD
- Attention difficulties
- Working-memory difficulties
- Executive-function support
- Academic and cognitive performance
Cogmed access and supported training packages available through APIS Clinic.
02Cognitive training · b
Propel ADHD collaboration
APIS Clinic patients may be offered subsidised access to Propel ADHD, a phone-based cognitive training platform using short, structured games to practise attention, memory, response control and cognitive flexibility.
Propel ADHD describes its games as co-designed with psychologists to support areas such as focus, memory and clarity. Its platform includes cognitive areas such as focus, memory, procrastination, stress, impulsivity and attention to detail. Through this collaboration, eligible APIS Clinic patients can access Propel ADHD games through a subsidised arrangement.
Research update: Propel ADHD
Propel ADHD has been awarded a research grant to study digital biomarkers derived from cognitive game performance and how these relate to changes in ADHD symptoms over time.
Read the research detail
The 18-month project will focus primarily on observational research. It will explore whether patterns within game-based cognitive performance, such as attention, response consistency, processing speed and behavioural adaptation, can provide meaningful indicators of change alongside established ADHD symptom measures. This is an important step in understanding how digital cognitive training platforms may contribute not only to supporting cognitive skills, but also to the development of objective, data-informed measures of ADHD-related functioning.
APIS Clinic is proud to support Propel ADHD through clinical and research collaboration as this work develops.
03Track 2
ILF Neurofeedback
ILF (infra-low frequency) neurofeedback is a form of EEG-based brain training. Sensors placed on the scalp monitor very slow patterns of brain activity while you watch a screen or listen to sounds that gently change in response to the activity being detected.
This feedback gives the brain information about its own activity and, over repeated sessions, provides an opportunity to practise self-regulation, for example in areas such as attention, alertness, relaxation and emotional responses.
Areas it may support
- Attention
- Alertness
- Relaxation
- Emotional responses
- Feeling settled
Who might ILF neurofeedback be suitable for?
ILF neurofeedback may be considered for people who find it difficult to maintain focus, feel settled or regulate their level of alertness and emotional responses. Suitability is considered individually, taking into account the person’s symptoms and overall clinical needs.What does the research tell us?
Research into neurofeedback continues to develop, and ILF neurofeedback is a more specialised approach with a smaller evidence base. Some studies have reported promising findings, but further high-quality research is needed to better understand who is most likely to benefit and the extent of any improvements.What to expect during treatment
During a session, you can sit comfortably while the training takes place. You do not need to consciously control your brain activity or learn a particular technique. Your responses to the training can be discussed with the clinician and the approach adjusted where appropriate.Personalising your treatment
ILF neurofeedback can be adjusted according to your needs, responses and experience during sessions, rather than using the same approach for everyone.
ILF neurofeedback at our Clinic
At APIS Clinic, ILF neurofeedback offers an additional, non-invasive approach to supporting self-regulation. Where appropriate for a person’s needs, it can be incorporated alongside other treatment, strategies and support as part of a personalised approach to care.
04Track 3
Research & Innovation
Ideas · People · A brighter tomorrow
APIS Clinic is interested in the future of brain health, applied neuroscience and digital tools that may support attention, self-regulation and everyday functioning.
Dr Dinesh Kannan and Dr Dalida Duvnjak are involved in ongoing work connected with the University of Northampton in the field of VR cognitive training, with an initial focus on adult ADHD and executive functioning.
This work reflects APIS Clinic’s wider aim: to go beyond diagnosis and explore responsible, research-informed ways of supporting how people function in real life.
In collaboration with
University of Northampton
Collaboration · Research · Real-world impact
- Advancing brain health
- Applied neuroscience
- Better lives
This work is developmental and research-informed. It is not presented as a diagnostic device or a replacement for specialist clinical assessment or treatment.
Brain Health: your questions answered
Is cognitive training a treatment for ADHD?
Cognitive training may form part of a personalised support plan where appropriate. It is not a replacement for diagnostic assessment, medication review, therapy or urgent mental health care. The evidence base in ADHD is developing and mixed, so APIS Clinic presents it as a supportive intervention, not a guaranteed treatment.
What is Cogmed?
Cogmed is a research-based digital programme that exercises working memory and attentional control through structured, adaptive exercises. At APIS Clinic it can form part of a broader non-pharmacological pathway; access and supported training packages are available through the clinic.
What is Propel ADHD?
Propel ADHD is a phone-based cognitive training platform using short, structured games to practise attention, memory, response control and cognitive flexibility. APIS Clinic patients may be offered subsidised access where eligible.
Do I need a diagnosis to access Brain Health support?
No. Cognitive training and, where suitable, ILF neurofeedback can be considered as part of Trait-Led Support for people who do not necessarily want a formal diagnosis. Suitability is discussed individually.
How long does cognitive training take to make a difference?
Cognitive training works through practice, repetition and feedback, so the aim is gradual strengthening of useful patterns over time rather than instant change. Progress is tracked and linked back to real-life goals.
Interested in Brain Health support?
Suitability is discussed individually. Start with an enquiry and we will advise which route may fit best.
Online booking is opening soon. Send us your details and the team will arrange a time with you.
