{"id":1073,"date":"2019-09-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-09-26T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/reports\/headstart-why-athletes-and-coaches-are-turning-toward-neuroscience\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T05:12:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T05:12:28","slug":"headstart-why-athletes-and-coaches-are-turning-toward-neuroscience","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/headstart-why-athletes-and-coaches-are-turning-toward-neuroscience\/","title":{"rendered":"Headstart: Why Athletes and Coaches Are Turning Toward Neuroscience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n\t
\n\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t
\n \n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n Sep 26, 2019 <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>Articles<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Headstart: Why Athletes and Coaches Are Turning Toward Neuroscience<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n \n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
Category<\/div>\n Human Performance<\/a> <\/div>\n
\n
Share<\/div>\n Facebook<\/a>\n Twitter<\/a>\n Email<\/a>\n Copy Link<\/a>\n
https:\/\/leadersinsport.com\/performance-institute\/articles\/headstart-why-athletes-and-coaches-are-turning-toward-neuroscience\/<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

In the second installment of our ongoing series, Optios shines a light on advanced neuroperformance technologies and brain imaging tools and how they make it possible to reshape and rewire the brain in targeted ways for the first time in human history.<\/p>\n \n \n \n

\n

An article brought to you in association with our Partners Optios:<\/p>\n

\"Optios<\/p>\n

\n

Optios, formerly known as the Platypus Institute is a pioneering leader in the field of maximizing elite-level sports performance based on neurocognitive assessments and has extensive experience working with coaches and athletes. For more information click <\/em>here<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Advanced neuroperformance technologies and brain imaging tools of the 21st century make it possible to reshape and rewire the brain in targeted ways for the first time in human history.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

But the million-dollar question remains: How can athletes and coaches incorporate cutting-edge brain science into their daily routines in a practical way? The answer lies in utilizing personalized ‘applied neuroscience’ programs, which are rooted in billions of dollars and decades of military research that has been transferred into elite-level sports performance.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Amy Kruse<\/span><\/a>, Ph.D., is a thought leader and maverick within the global neuroscience community. Dr. Kruse is internationally recognized as a trailblazing visionary based on her decades-long experience working with the Department of Defense (DoD). She\u2019s also credited with coining the term ‘operational neuroscience’ and popularizing the term ‘applied neuroscience.’<\/span><\/p>\n

The burgeoning field of operational, applied neuroscience is at the heart of why many of the world\u2019s most elite athletes and coaches today are turning to neuroscience. Sports teams, individual athletes, and coaches who have witnessed the brain-changing power of applied neuroscience realize that it results in profound improvements and winning results.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of keeping her decades of knowledge about how the brain works confined to the world\u2019s elite military units, Kruse\u2019s current mission is to bring proven neuroperformance methods to other elite performers. Dr. Kruse is currently the Chief Scientific Officer at Optios.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2001, Kruse moved to Washington, D.C., just a few months after 9\/11. Moving to the United States capital \u2014 and her decision to join DARPA (<\/span>Defense Advanced Research Project Agency<\/span><\/a>) in 2002 \u2014 was part of a mission focus to do something for her country. As she explains, \u201cI said to myself, \u201cHow can I apply what I know about neuroscience \u2014 what we know \u2014 to improving the mission of the DoD? It was a rich space full of fantastically hard problems.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As part of Dr. Kruse\u2019s pioneering work with DARPA, she fine-tuned her ability to conduct neuroscientific research on human subjects in real-life circumstances. \u201cI believe everyone is motivated by and interested in enhanced performance. Like my DoD and military colleagues \u2014 sports is ‘waking up’ to the role of neuroscience and cognitive brain performance in sports performance,\u201d Kruse said in a recent interview. \u201cSo much of the excitement in this space is the opportunity to directly impact performance \u201con the field\u201d \u2014 this time the playing field.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past two decades, Kruse has parlayed her extensive fieldwork at DARPA into practical, easy-to-understand applications that optimize individual performance and teamwork in the civilian world among business leaders \u2014 and on basketball courts and playing fields for all types of professional sports teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnother motivating thing in sports is that there are so many parallels to what we have learned in the military,\u201d Kruse said, \u201cIt would be ridiculous not to apply those learnings to this application space. in a way the mechanisms for achieving mastery in the brain are the same \u2014 even if some of the networks and stimuli change,\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2005, when neuroplasticity and the brain\u2019s ability to reshape and rewire itself was still a novel concept, Dr. Kruse began pinpointing specific ways to harness the brain\u2019s plasticity to improve human performance. At the time, Kruse was Program Manager for DARPA\u2019s performance-focused neuroscience research.<\/span><\/p>\n

At DARPA, Kruse enlisted expert marksman to see what set them apart from first-time shooters. Using non-invasive brain imaging techniques, she was able to isolate how brain processing differed between the rookie and the pro. Then, she figured out how to hack into these neural networks and dramatically speed-up the learning process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n