News

---

What if we could study the brain beyond the traditional laboratory? 

That’s one of the things I’ve been thinking about after visiting Connectome in London this week.

I’m taking part in the ADHD group within a longer-term research study by Connectome Health, in collaboration with Imperial College London, exploring the relationship between lifestyle, brain function and cognitive performance.

During the study, participants complete a range of cognitive tasks — including memory, problem-solving, pictures and numbers — while wearing wearable brain-imaging technology.

The technology uses fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy) to measure changes in oxygenated and deoxygenated haemoglobin in the brain.

In simple terms, when different areas of the brain become more active, they require more oxygen. Measuring these changes in blood oxygenation gives researchers a way of exploring what is happening in the brain while we think, remember, process information and solve problems.

But what really interests me is what happens when this technology moves beyond the traditional research environment.

If we can measure brain function alongside things such as sleep, physical activity and other lifestyle factors, we can start asking different questions about how our everyday lives relate to cognitive performance over time.

And that feels particularly relevant when we’re talking about ADHD and neurodivergence.

We often talk about neurodivergence through behaviour, experience and observable differences. Research like this allows us to ask another question:

What is happening underneath it all?

For me, this is where research in action becomes really exciting — bringing together lived experience, technology and scientific enquiry to deepen our understanding of the neurodivergent mind.

I’m looking forward to seeing where this research takes us. 🧠