A World-First: Upregulating Acetylcholine Without Drugs

The INHANCE trial is the first human study to demonstrate that a non-pharmaceutical, computerised intervention can significantly increase the expression of acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine is a vital neurotransmitter that serves as a pivotal mediator for attention, learning, and memory.

Traditionally, increasing acetylcholine availability has required pharmaceutical cholinesterase inhibitors, which are often limited in efficacy as they do not restore the actual amount of acetylcholine released during normal signaling.

The INHANCE study utilised BrainHQ’s speed-based training (specifically the Double Decision and Freeze Frame exercises) to target core cognitive functions. 

The findings were staggering:

• • Reversing Age-Related Decline: Participants achieved a 2.3% increase in acetylcholine binding in the anterior cingulate cortex, a region critical for attention and executive function, in just 10 weeks and 35 hours of neurocognitive training.

• • A Decade of Offset: This 2.3% gain is significant enough to potentially offset a full decade’s worth of natural age-related decline, which typically averages 2.5% every ten years.

• • Enhanced Brain Capacity: The training was found to upregulate the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), which essentially enhances the brain’s presynaptic capacity to package and release acetylcholine, strengthening the circuits that support memory and focus.
    
    

From Aging to the Classroom: Supporting Young Minds with ADHD

While the INHANCE study focused on healthy older adults, its implications for children and young people are profound. We are currently witnessing a significant rise in ADHD diagnoses and immense delays in assessments, leaving many families and schools searching for immediate, evidence-based support.

The INHANCE findings open a critical door for conversations about how this “brain exercise” approach can help in schools:

• • Targeting the “Attention Circuit”: Because acetylcholine release is the primary regulator for attention and focus, a programme that naturally upregulates this system offers a powerful, non-invasive tool for students struggling with ADHD symptoms.

• • Bridging the Assessment Gap: As schools face long waitlists for formal clinical assessments, the Double Decision assessment used in the study provides a brief, scalable, and validated way to monitor cognitive health and attention speed via any internet-connected device.

• • Improving Educational Outcomes: By strengthening the “bottom-up” cognitive architecture, improving brain speed and memory capacity, we can provide young people with the neurological “software update” needed to engage more effectively with their academic studies.
    
    

In Layman’s Terms

Think of the brain’s acetylcholine system as a theatre spotlight. In conditions like ADHD or with aging, that spotlight can become dim or flickery, making it hard to focus on the “stage” of the classroom. 

The INHANCE study shows that speed training doesn’t just put a temporary patch on the bulb; it actually upgrades the electrical system, making the spotlight brighter and more reliable so the student can focus on what matters most.

Conclusion 

At Evolve Education, we are committed to bringing this “Gold Standard” science into schools and other educational settings. The INHANCE study proves that we don’t have to wait for a prescription to start changing lives; we can build a more capable brain through proven, targeted and technology-enabled training today