Brain Training and Big Data

A New Avenue to Study Learning in Older Adults

Kit Double

Big data is so 'in' right now

Big data is so 'in' right now

Big data is so 'in' right now

Once upon a time...

Memory Mates

Cognitive ability, learning & knowledge are frequently assessed until the end of college/university

We collect very little data after this point

What can brain training tell us about the cognition/learning of adults?

Is it 'big' data?

65,000 people in 1 year

1 terabytes of data a day

 

 

65% female

60% quit within 18 months

What can brain training tell us about the cognition/learning of adults?

Is it valid data?

Raven's Progressive Matrices

N-back task

Stroop task

Complex span task

 

 

Performance

Adherence

60% quit within 18 months

A survival analysis indicated that age (+ve), openness to experience (+ve), and need for cognition (-ve) predicted continuation with training (all p < .05)

 

Discontinued = Not played in last 2-months

Dementia Detection

Develop neuropsychological tasks

 

Track changes longitudinally 

 

Ethical considerations

 

Limitations of 'Big Data'

Difficult to customise 

Balance longitudinal vs. novel

Stakeholders interests

Analysis e.g. scoring

Acknowledgements

Damian Birney

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Slides available at

2018 IAEA

By kitdouble

2018 IAEA

  • 355