Spring Recap Highlights: (1) Message from our directors (2) Showcasing our current research (3) Showcasing our recent accomplishments and outstanding lab members

1. A Message from Drs. Susanne Jaeggi and Aaron Seitz

2. Research Spotlight: Examining the Effectiveness of Auditory Training

3. Recent Happenings: Celebrations Around!

4. Recent Events: Institute Day

5. Staff Spotlight: Ariana Mechem

6. Staff Spotlight: Nathan Vuong

7. Current Research Opportunities

8. Support Us By Donating!

Dear Brain Game Center Community,

As spring turns to summer, we are happy to announce to you the first edition of our lab’s newsletter! We appreciate all the contributions and support that you have provided towards our research, and we would like to continue keeping you updated on our lab and the work we have been doing. Whether you have participated in multiple of our lab’s studies, or are simply interested in staying informed about our work, we would like to kick off our newsletter by sharing what our lab is all about.

What is the Brain Game Center?

The Brain Game Center is an interdisciplinary lab that aims to see how we can test and use interactive applications that may potentially benefit diverse populations in facing real-life cognitive and perceptual challenges. This ranges from looking at how people see and hear, how people remember things, and how people make decisions.

Why does this research matter?

At the Northeastern University University Brain Game Center, we strive to improve your brain’s fitness. We research, test, and disseminate evidence-based, scientifically optimized brain fitness games that assist you in real life with memory, vision, hearing, learning, and more. We have a track record of making our tested procedures publicly available so that our innovations help our community and the world.

In this edition of our newsletter, you will get to know some of our lab members. You’ll read about the news regarding the work we have been doing at the Brain Game Center, and opportunities to be involved in our research.

Thank you for being part of our fellow community. We look forward to sharing with you what our lab has been doing.

Sincerely,

Dr. Aaron Seitz & Dr. Susanne Jaeggi

Principal Investigators of the Brain Game Center

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

EXAMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AUDITORY TRAINING

One of our lab’s current ongoing studies is our remote auditory training study known as “Mediators and Moderators of Auditory Training”.

As people get older, it becomes more difficult for them to hear speech in noisy environments. This can be frustrating, as it can affect their independence and quality of life. The investigators of this project want to understand how auditory training works, and what affects its success.

The main questions this clinical trial aims to answer is:

• How do different types of sound influence the effectiveness of auditory training?
• Which auditory training approaches are most successful in improving speech understanding?
• How do personal traits impact the results of auditory training?

This study examines both younger adult and older adult populations. In 2-3 months, participants in this study, depending on their randomly assigned condition:

• Take part in auditory training sessions that include different types of auditory tasks.
• Complete tests that measure how well they understand speech in both quiet and noisy settings.
• Complete surveys on personal data like demographics, hearing challenges and other factors to help researchers understand what might influence training results.

Want to help us find answers? Please follow this link to view eligibility criteria and sign-up if you believe you are eligible.

RECENT HAPPENINGS

CELEBRATIONS AROUND

Two of our 6th year graduate students, Masha Vodyanyk and Morgan Gomez, recently defended their PhDs!

Dr. Masha’s dissertation was titled “Learn to Draw, Learn to See: Cognitive Mechanisms of Observational Drawing and Implications for Healthy Aging”.

Dr. Gomez’s dissertation was titled “Understanding and Training Cognition in People Aging with HIV”.

Our undergraduate research assistants did great this year at RISE, Northeastern’s Undergraduate Research Symposium. We had 16 posters from our team and lots of exciting findings!

Congratulations as well to all of our graduating seniors and to the multiple recipients of the department-level awards, recognizing their hard work and achievements.

RECENT EVENTS: Institute Day

INSITITUTE FOR COGNITIVE AND BRAIN HEALTH

The Institute for Cognitive and Brain Health, which houses the Brain Game Center at the Boston Campus, had its inaugural Institute Day on May 12th. This was a nice opportunity for trainees to share about the work they have been doing with the community at large. We also demoed our memory training games and recently developed Virtual Reality vision training.

[Photo Credit: Heratch Ekmekjian]

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

Ariana Mechem

Assistant Research Coordinator

Northeastern University- Boston

What research question are you interested in exploring?

I would like to research whether technological training games geared towards working memory, cognitive flexibility, and sensory processing are effective in improving executive functioning in children with autism.

What’s your favorite part of being an Assistant Research Coordinator?

I love working with people and verifying data. I love the community at the lab, so everyday is fun.

What type of game trains your brain the most?

I think that although Recollect is the bane of my existence at times, it has also been the game that I improve in the most. I would say memory games train my brain the most.

What is your favorite go-to activity outside of work/school?

Outside of school, I love doing Taekwondo with my friends and reading. I also love to explore new cities with my twin sister.

What plans do you look forward to after graduating?

After I graduate, I plan to teach English in China or Taiwan to practice my Chinese. I also plan to work for a couple of years and take time to decide what I want to get a masters in.

Dogs or cats?

Dogs!

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

Nathan Vuong

Research Assistant

University of California- Riverside

What research question are you interested in exploring?

I am most interested in exploring the effects of perceptual training on cognition and attention.

What’s your favorite part of being a Research Assistant?

My favorite part about being an RA is getting to learn about psychology and neuroscience outside of the classroom through exposure

What type of game trains your brain the most?

In the Brain Game Center, n-back. Outside of the lab, chess.

What is your favorite go-to activity outside of work/school?

My favorite activity outside of work/school is to casually game with friends!

What plans do you look forward to after graduating?

After I graduate, I plan on applying to med school and working as an EMT and/or maybe continuing research during my gap year.

Dogs or cats?

Cats (I’m biased because of my cat)

CURRENT RESEARCH OPPORUNITIES

Seeking older adults ages 55-85 for research studies

Our lab is currently looking for older adults interested in participating in our both remote and in-person studies. These studies may involve assessing areas such as vision, hearing, attention, and/or memory. If you would like to be contacted for studies, please fill out the general interest form by clicking the hyperlink or scanning the QR code below.

Cognitive Training study seeking participants ages 18-30

The Northeastern University lab site is currently looking for younger adults interested in participating in our Cognitive Training study both in-person on our Boston campus, or remotely. This study involves completing a series of cognitive training tasks, along with assessments that measure executive functioning areas such as attention and memory. If you are interested and meet this age requirement, please e-mail us at bgc@northeastern.edu

Interested in learning more?

Fill out our General Interest Form by pressing the underlined link or scanning the QR code below.

How does your donation support us?

• It helps fund cutting-edge research that explores how games and technology can enhance memory, attention, and emotional well-being for all ages.
• It helps us develop and improve free apps and resources to ensure everyone has access to tools for cognitive health and well-being.
• It will provide our students with scholarships and fellowships, and enable students with limited means to participate in spontaneously identified and cutting-edge research

Click the button below to make a donation to the Brain Game Center for Mental Fitness and Well-Being Fund. You can donate once or make a recurring gift to support students and our lab!