AppsFromResearch
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PL Fest

Northeastern University
Evidence Tier:DOCUMENTED

Published in academic literature

For:General Public & Enthusiasts
Free
Download on the App Store

App Summary

PL Fest is a platform for at-home cognitive testing, developed by the UCR Brain Game Center to support research on brain aging. The associated research outlines the need for improved interoperability, advocating for standardized, shareable materials and methods to make cognitive studies more consistent and reproducible. The authors conclude that this approach is essential for developing scientifically optimized and clinically useful cognitive training programs to promote healthy brain aging.

App Screenshots

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Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed by the University of California, Riverside's Brain Game Center, PL Fest is a platform for remote cognitive assessment. The system administers a suite of standardized cognitive tests designed for completion in an at-home setting. The interface delivers a structured series of interactive exercises engineered to assess specific cognitive domains. Performance data is captured by the system, facilitating the collection of cognitive metrics outside of a traditional laboratory environment for research purposes.

Evidence & Research Context

  • Associated research from the developers highlights methodological inconsistencies across cognitive training studies, often stemming from a lack of standardized assessment materials.
  • The platform's design is grounded in principles of research interoperability, which promote the cooperative development and sharing of materials to enhance scientific rigor.
  • This standardized approach is intended to improve the reproducibility of cognitive science findings and enable more reliable comparisons across different intervention trials.
  • The authors propose that prioritizing interoperability will aid in the development of scientifically optimized and clinically relevant cognitive programs for brain aging.

Intended Use & Scope

PL Fest is designed for researchers and clinical trial administrators requiring standardized, remote cognitive data collection. Its primary utility is as a research instrument for studies on cognition, brain aging, and the effects of cognitive interventions. The platform is not a diagnostic tool and does not provide clinical recommendations; it is not a substitute for formal neuropsychological evaluation.

Studies & Publications

1 publication

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Non-Evaluative Reference

Improving comparability across cognitive training trials for brain aging: A focus on interoperability

Turnbull et al. (2023) · Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions

Referenced in academic literature; no direct evaluation of the app
Cognitive training may promote healthy brain aging and prevent dementia, but results from individual studies are inconsistent. There are disagreements on how to evaluate cognitive training interventions between clinical and basic scientists. Individual labs typically create their own assessment and training materials, leading to difficulties reproducing methods. Here, we advocate for improved interoperability: the exchange and cooperative development of a consensus for cognitive training design, analysis, and result interpretation. We outline five guiding principles for improving interoperability: (i) design interoperability, developing standard design and analysis models; (ii) material interoperability, promoting sharing of materials; (iii) interoperability incentives; (iv) privacy and security norms, ensuring adherence to accepted ethical standards; and (v) interpretability prioritization, encouraging a shared focus on neurobiological mechanisms to improve clinical relevance. Improving interoperability will allow us to develop scientifically optimized, clinically useful cognitive training programs to slow/prevent brain aging.
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In the Media

Speaking of Psychology: Can т“brain trainingт” games sharpen your mental skills? With Aaron Seitz, PhD

Dr. Aaron Seitz at the University of California, Riverside developed brain training research through the university's Brain Game Center to address whether cognitive games can genuinely improve mental skills like memory, vision, and hearing. Seitz notes that while "commercial companies have heavily marketed brain training products that aren't necessarily backed by science," legitimate research shows promise for helping older adults maintain sharp memories and athletes improve performance. The research aims to distinguish scientifically-backed cognitive training from unproven commercial brain game apps.

ApaRead article

Nationwide project seeks to understand how brain exercises produce cognitive benefits

UC Riverside's Brain Game Center developed PL Fest to understand how memory training produces cognitive benefits, launching a nationwide project to engage 30,000 people in different variants of memory training. "We want to understand which training approaches lead to what types of benefits in different individuals," said Aaron Seitz, director of the Brain Game Center and psychology professor. The National Institute of Mental Health-funded project aims to resolve scientific controversies about brain training effectiveness by determining for whom certain training methods work best.

UcrRead article

PL Fest

Free

iOS