MindMaze’s Therapeutic Games Opening to More MS, Neurologic Patients

MindMaze’s animated ‘games,’ designed to aid in recovering motor and cognitive skills in people with neurological disabilities, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), will now be more widely available to patients worldwide.

The brain technology company announced four new partnerships that will enable patients in Latin America, the Middle East, and in two countries in Europe — Spain, and Switzerland — to have access to its digital neurotherapeutics portfolio. The agreements were made with Surgicorp, Alkholi, Guttmann Barcelona, and Swiss Rehabilitation.

“Thanks to distributors and partners, we can reach more patients faster, so that people with neurological diseases all around the world can benefit first-hand from these proven engaging and immersive therapies, including from the comfort of their own home,” Jean-Marc Wismer, MindMaze’s chief operating officer, said in a press release.

Increasing evidence supports that exercise, particularly complex sports, helps to restore cognitive function through movement.

Mindmaze reports that its highly immersive video games promote dynamic movements while requiring patients to use their cognitive abilities as they play.

“MindMaze’s evidence-based interventions are leading an international paradigm shift in delivering novel, evidence-based therapies to patients for improved outcomes,” said John Krakauer, MD, professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and chief medical advisor to MindMaze.

“Importantly, MindMaze digital neurotherapeutic products are used across the continuum of care, from the hospital to home, offering patients a hybrid therapy program delivered through sessions in person and remotely that result in reduced therapy delivery costs and greater patient management and monitoring,” Krakauer added.

The company’s platform includes two main digital solutions – MindMotion and MindPod – that have been cleared by regulators in the U.S. and the European Union.

MindMotion is a neurorehabilitation game that promotes the kind of movements a patient would typically practice with a physiotherapist. The program is fully customizable to a patient’s needs and progress, and is reimbursable, the company stated in its release.

For MS patients, this approach can be used to improve balance and reduce the risk of falls.

The system is available for use in clinical settings and at home, and is amenable to remote control by a patient’s therapist.

MindPod is an animated game that trains fine motor control and upper-limb by encouraging patients to explore an oceanic environment. It is currently cleared for use by stroke patients, but studies are ongoing to demonstrate its efficacy at improving cognition in MS patients.