Neurotrack Raises $21 Million to Detect and Track Dementia

The Neurotrack startup develops cognitive tests for identifying impairments in the hippocampus, the first structure in the brain region affected by Alzheimer's, and it announced $21 million in series C financing, reports VentureBeat . Neurotrack now has $50 million in total capital, including more than $7 million in grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The firm says the investments will be used to fuel adoption of its memory health program, forward its goal of changing how people manage cognitive health, and maintain development in global markets. Neurotrack's browser- and app-based platform sets a memory health baseline by tracking users' eyes for five minutes as they view a series of onscreen images. Every three to six months, Neurotrack conducts another assessment to track changes over time, recommending exercise and sleep regimens, diets, and brain games to preserve and augment memory. The company claims its test can reliably track the onset of Alzheimer's within three years and six years with 89 percent accuracy and 100 percent accuracy, respectively. In addition, a preliminary study released this past autumn saw "observable improvements" in cognition among at-risk individuals who used the startup's tools and services.