1. Brain Train or Money Drain? Principles for Selecting A Scientifically Based Computer Cognitive Training Program Elizabeth M. Zelinski, PhD Rita and Edward Polusky Chair in Education and Aging Professor of Gerontology and Psychology Supported in part by R01 AG10569, P50 AG005142, US National Institute on Aging and H133E080024, US National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and the Center for Digital Aging grant from Health Care Partners, Inc.

2. | 2 Harmonized Longitudinal Studies of Healthy Aging 4 studies in 3 countries 9-21 years of follow up from age 55 Reasoning, Memory, Verbal Fluency, Vocabulary Change in Cognitively Stimulating Activities Associated with Change in all 4 Abilities Change in Physical Activities Associated with Change in Reasoning and Fluency Change in Social Activities associated with Change in Cognitively Stimulating Activities… 2 Mitchell, et al (2012). Journal of Aging Research. Lindwall et al (2012). Journal of Aging Research. Brown et al. (under review).

3. Potential benefits of interventions in healthy older adults Transfer to untrained cognitive tasks Rehabilitate and improve declining cognitive skills Ensure preservation of functional ability Image courtesy of http://www.simpsoncrazy.com/pictures/homer

4. IMPACT: First Major Study of a Commercially Available Brain- Plasticity Based Program For Older Adults/Active Control group/Transfer Measures 3 sites 487 65-93 year old participants randomized to experimental and control conditions 40 hours of experience in one hour sessions Posit Science Brain Fitness auditory program or educational DVDs 3 month follow up Smith, G. E., Housen, P.,Yaffe, R. R., Ruff, R., Kennison, R. F., Mahncke, H. W., & Zelinski, E. M.. (2009). A cognitive training program based on principles of brain plasticity: Results from the Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training (IMPACT) Study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 57, 594-603. Zelinski, E. M., Spina, L. M., Yaffe, K., Ruff, R., Kennison, R. F., Mahncke, H. W., & Smith, G. E. (2011). Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training (IMPACT): Results of the 3-Month Follow-up. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 59, 258-265.

5. Example training: High or Low? Demo at www.positscience.com

6. Experimental Training Program: 6 adaptive computerized auditory training exercises High or Low? Direction & order of frequency sweeps Tell Us Apart: Phoneme Recognition Sound Replay: Phoneme recognition span Match It! “Concentration” with phonemes Listen and Do: Following instructions Story Teller: Recognition of story “facts” Demo at www.positscience.com

7. Findings: Improvement for the Brain Fitness Group Transfer to list recall Transfer to working memory recall Improved subjective cognition Improvement in all subgroups of participants Benefits retained at the 3 month follow up Wechsler Memory Scale Working Memory Pre Post Pre Post Experimental Control Pre Post Pre Post Experimental Control Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test List Recall Zelinski, et al., (under review). Evaluating the relationship between change in performance on training tasks and untrained outcomes.

8. Principles of IMPACT’s Brain Plasticity Training that Work Consistently across Studies  Extended practice  Challenging practice  Adaptive approach  Multimodal training: Speed + working memory training + complex material  Passive activities like watching educational materials on DVDs/TV are not associated with the same improvements

9. Who does the training work for?  Healthy, motivated adults with normal levels of cognitive functioning  People aged 65-93  Slightly greater gains for  Young-old participants  Women  People with more years of formal education Zelinski, et al., (under review). Evaluating the relationship between change in performance on training tasks and untrained outcomes.

10. https://brainhq.positscience.com/default/start #train/brain_speed/0/0/0 http://training.cog med.com/demo3/

11. Caveat Emptor What to look for – Scientific advisory board? – Clinical Trial with the specific product? – Transfer to untrained tasks? – Research with people in your target group? – Results published? – Did you try it? Would you use it 5 days a week indefinitely?