Zentrela, a Canadian neurotechnology enterprise specializing in the effects of cannabis using AI and wearable tech, announced this week the European launch of Cognalyzer®, its portable non-invasive device that can scan the brainwaves of consumers and use AI to determine if an individual is experiencing psychoactive effects.

According to a statement from the company, Cognalyzer® can objectively quantify psychoactive and relaxation effects with results in approximately 2 minutes, which could help change how research is conducted and bring rapid brain analysis into the mainstream for researchers, patients and businesses.

Said Israel Gasperin, the company’s CEO, “The emergence of the cannabis market in the European Union creates the urgent need to generate accurate and reliable cannabis effect information that enables Europeans to make informed purchase and consumption decisions.” 

Zentrela’s Cognalyzer® was first introduced in Canada and the US in 2021 following 5 years of R&D and independent scientific validation.

Companies such as PAX and Kinloch Wellness have been integrating the solution since 2021 to conduct experiments to measure the psychoactive effects of cannabis products at a faster pace and lower cost than clinical trials.

The launch of the solution comes at an important time for the EU following a 25% increase in anxiety and depression after the COVID pandemic.

Of note, the company’s brainwave analysis can measure which treatments work best for individuals and help to monitor brain biomarkers like stress and relaxation objectively. The solution has a number of research applications that can be valuable in the EU, including:

– Regulators leveraging the solutions to improve the investigation process of cannabis-impaired driving

– Licensed producers and businesses conducting their own research to test the effectiveness of new formulations

– Scientists studying the pharmacodynamics of cannabinoids and their direct relationship to human factors like BMI or gender

– Medical practitioners more effectively prescribing cannabis products and the right dosages for patients

Zentrela was founded in 2016 in Canada by Israel Gasperin with the support of Dr. Dan Bosnyak, a University of McMaster neuroscientist.