Scientifically validated · FDA-cleared

The science behind DANA.

DANA turns two objective signals — how fast and how accurately the brain responds — into a trackable score, using established cognitive paradigms drawn from the public-domain literature and standardized batteries built for repeated, longitudinal use. Results are interpreted by qualified professionals; DANA is not a diagnostic tool.

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  • Reaction time + accuracy
  • 8 established tests
  • Standardized & repeatable
  • Individual baselines
  • Data-integrity safeguards
Speed Reaction time (ms)
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Accuracy Percent correct
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Brain Vital
Cognitive Score Composite metric
The measurement model

Two objective signals, one trackable score.

Every DANA assessment records reaction time (speed) and percent correct (accuracy) at the level of individual trials. Because speed and accuracy trade off against each other, DANA combines them into Cognitive Efficiency Scores and the composite DANA Brain Vital Cognitive Score — so a single number reflects genuine performance rather than someone simply going faster at the cost of getting more wrong.

  • Objective performance data — not self-report.
  • Complements symptom scales and patient-reported outcomes.
  • Trial-level data captured for defensible, analyzable results.

Scores shown throughout this page are illustrative examples, not real patient data.

Established paradigms

Built on tests with a scientific track record.

DANA's battery is composed of classic, well-characterized cognitive tests — the same family of reaction-time and working-memory paradigms used in decades of research. DANA uses public-domain tests with strong existing scientific literature, administered in a standardized, randomized form to produce a structured, whole-brain performance profile.

Simple Reaction Time Procedural Reaction Time Go / No-Go Spatial Processing Match-to-Sample Code Substitution Code Substitution Recall Memory Search

Originally developed for U.S. military use, DANA's paradigms offer continuity with legacy military neurocognitive testing.

Battery performance profile Illustrative
Baseline Follow-up
What each test measures

Whole-brain processing speed, task by task.

DANA isn't organized around isolated cognitive domains — each task measures how quickly and accurately the brain handles simple cognitive and executive-function demands. Every test is configurable down to trial counts, timing, and inter-trial intervals, while validated defaults preserve result integrity.

Simple Reaction Time

Basic processing speed — how quickly a person responds to a single, predictable stimulus.

Procedural Reaction Time

Choice reaction and processing speed — responding correctly when the required action depends on the stimulus.

Go / No-Go

Response inhibition and sustained attention — acting on the right cues and withholding on the wrong ones.

Spatial Processing

Visuospatial ability — comparing and mentally manipulating spatial patterns.

Match-to-Sample

Visual working memory — holding a pattern in mind and matching it after a short delay.

Code Substitution

Attention, working memory, and processing speed — matching symbols to codes under time pressure.

Code Substitution Recall

Delayed recall of the same code key — a distinct, separately scored measure of retention and memory consolidation.

Memory Search

Working-memory scanning — how quickly a person searches a held set of items for a match.

Scored questionnaires

Standardized, auto-scored psychological scales — PHQ-9/8, GAD-7, ISI, PSQI, PC-PTSD and more — for a whole-person view.

Peer-reviewed evidence

What the research shows, test by test.

Independent, published findings on the sensitivity of individual DANA tests — drawn directly from the peer-reviewed literature. See all publications →

  • SRT was positively associated with diastolic blood pressure and the prevalence of myocardial infarction and stroke (DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1340710).
  • SRT was highly sensitive to PTSD and depression (DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01513).
  • SRT was more reliable for detecting cognitive deficiencies in AD patients than the more complex tests (J Geriatrics Palliative Care 2016;4(1): 6).
  • SRT was more sensitive to effects of concussions than the more complex tests (DOI: 10.1089/neu.2014.3363).
  • Comparing SRT performance at the beginning and end of a DANA test battery is a reliable indication of hypoxia-induced cognitive impairment (DOI: 10.1097/WNR.0000000000000169).
  • SRT1 and SRT2 were the most sensitive to cognitive impairment associated with PTSD (DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2017.1330749).
  • PRT was the most sensitive to detecting small, temporary declines in thinking performance following blast exposure (DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00949).
  • PRT was more reliable for detecting cognitive deficiencies in AD patients than the more complex tests (J Geriatrics Palliative Care 2016;4(1): 6).
  • PRT was more sensitive to effects of concussions than the more complex tests (DOI: 10.1089/neu.2014.3363; DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00839).
  • PRT was sensitive to cognitive impairment associated with hemodynamic changes in Long COVID and ME/CFS patients (DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1203514).
Whole-person view

A large library of standardized, scored scales.

Combine objective cognition with validated symptom instruments in a single tool.

PHQ-9 Depression PHQ-8 Depression GAD-7 Anxiety ISI Insomnia PSQI Sleep quality PEG3 Pain PC-PTSD PTSD screen PCL-C PTSD checklist MDQ Mood disorder ASRS Adult ADHD + more
Change against an individual baseline Illustrative
BaselineWk 2Wk 6Wk 10Wk 14
Built for repeated measurement

Designed to reveal within-person change.

DANA's tests are standardized and randomized so they can be administered repeatedly at high frequency without the results simply reflecting practice or memorized answers. That makes DANA suited to tracking change against an individual's own baseline over time — emphasizing meaningful within-person change rather than a single comparison to population norms.

  • Randomized, standardized administration for repeated use.
  • Individual baseline as the reference point.
  • Per-test and composite trends graphed over time.
Data integrity

Safeguards that keep results defensible.

Standardized administration only matters if each result is trustworthy. DANA builds in checks at the point of capture.

Practice trials

Guided practice before each test so a score reflects performance, not unfamiliarity with the task.

Interruption / resume windows

Defined rules for pauses and resumes so interruptions don't silently corrupt a result.

Screen-off voids a test

If the screen goes off mid-test, the trial is voided rather than recorded as a valid, misleading result.

Device-metadata capture

Context about the device and session is recorded so results can be interpreted and audited.

Reduced learning effects

Algorithm-generated, randomized stimuli across administrations prevent bias from repetition or memorization, keeping repeated results comparable over time.

No ceiling effects

Scoring allows unlimited performance improvement, so meaningful change can still be detected even in individuals already performing well.

Validated default batteries

Reconfiguring away from the scientifically validated defaults can reduce result integrity — so DANA flags it.

Evidence & credibility

Cleared, validated, and grounded in the literature.

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FDA-cleared

An FDA-cleared mobile cognitive assessment platform. See indications for use & FDA information →

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Public-domain, literature-backed tests

Built from established cognitive paradigms with a substantial existing scientific literature.

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Validated default batteries

Standardized default batteries designed to preserve result integrity across repeated, high-frequency use.

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Military heritage & legacy testing continuity

Originally developed for U.S. military use, offering continuity with established military neurocognitive testing.

Peer-reviewed evidence

48 published studies and counting.

Military validation, concussion & TBI, operational performance, aging & cognition, and more — every study cited, summarized, and linked to the full paper.

Browse all publications
Next step

See the measurement in action.

Walk through the assessment, the battery, and how the Brain Vital Cognitive Score is built and tracked over time.

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