A recent Ontario Brain Institute survey conducted through Zoomer Media revealed that over 85% of Canadians regularly think about their brain health. Yet only half of those surveyed use tools like smartwatches, smartphones, and apps to monitor factors affecting their brain health—such as sleep, physical activity, and mood. Why the gap? Many find these technologies too costly or complicated and worry about how their personal data might be used.

To address this issue, OBI developed CORTEX (COmmunity-led Real-world neuroTech EXperience), a program designed to help people manage their brain health with technology. In 2023-24, Rhea Health introduced its Active Recovery app for individuals with persistent concussion symptoms, becoming the latest technology tested in real-time.

Rhea Health was founded by Dr. Michael Hutchison – an expert in using kinesiology for rehabilitation purposes – alongside a top clinical research team in brain health at the University of Toronto. Dr. Hutchison and his colleagues contributed to reshaping how concussions are managed, moving away from the traditional rest-and-wait approach, and focusing on early, purposeful, and progressive exercise to speed up recovery.

“During the [CORTEX-supported] study, we also generated a substantial amount of rich feedback that provided further validation of our technology and helped guide our platform development, including having our exercise and breathwork programs include an audio guide.”

-Dr. Michael Hutchison, Associate Professor, Sport Concussion, University of Toronto

Through the app, the Rhea team offers personalized, evidence-based recovery plans for concussion. Whether an athlete, a casual exerciser, or new to physical activity, Rhea’s customized programs provide solutions that help patients regain cognitive and physical strength, as well as enhance mental health. 

With support from OBI for community outreach and product testing, Dr. Hutchison and his team recruited 104 participants to test the app over four weeks. The feedback was positive, with most users reporting improvements in managing persistent post-concussion symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and cognitive fog. Additionally, there was a noticeable decrease in severe mental health symptoms, including fear, irritability, and trouble relaxing.

Dr. Hutchinson noted, “These findings help validate that the Active Recovery app is effective in mitigating persistent post-concussion symptoms over four weeks, corroborating research that led to the development of this technology.”

One participant shared, “I was really surprised at how I felt stronger throughout the weeks. Also impressed with how my symptoms improved throughout the course of the study, a big difference!”

The Rhea team is now finalizing a new version of the platform, slated for a late 2024 launch. This update will feature a completely revamped user experience based on participant feedback.

Dr. Hutchison expressed gratitude for OBI’s support: “We could not have reached this point without OBI’s guidance. Their support has been crucial in helping us enhance our product and aid in the recovery of individuals dealing with concussion.”

Since its inception two years ago, CORTEX has helped over 1,300 people in Ontario access essential neurotechnology for managing their brain health.

Bring brain health to life by supporting CORTEX.