Brain Science
Brain Health Research
Approach to Research
Lumos Labs provides cognitive training exercises that are experimentally tested and shown to be effective. At the core of this effort is a rigorous design and research process that begins with the best strategies for enhancing brain performance. After developing the exercises, we conduct randomized, controlled trials to determine how training with these computerized brain exercises impacts cognition. Over time, we continue to revise and improve the existing exercises based on ongoing research and results.
The empirical testing is done with real people, using the program just as you would at home. The basic experimental design begins with neuropsychological testing to determine baseline abilities. Test subjects then train on the exercise(s), which are distinctly different than the tests. After the training is complete, all subjects do another round of testing and we evaluate differences (if any) from a control group. The results of our research are presented at major science forums, such as Society for Neuroscience and the Bay Area Neuroscience Gathering, in an effort to share our findings with the field and promote further research in this area.
All test subjects are human volunteers. Lumos Labs observes and adheres to proper ethics of conducting human subject research, including those outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. None of the research harms or involves animals. Click here if you are interested in learning more about participating in our research programs.
Pioneering Cognition Research
Lumos Labs is developing new tools for conducting research that will make it possible to conduct large-scale experiments that previously were not practical or even possible. We hope that these innovations will facilitate research conducted not only by Lumos Labs and our collaborators, but also throughout the fields of cognitive neuroscience and psychology.
Our recent work involves an application that uses the internet to automate and substantially expedite human behavior research. Research validating this web-based application was presented at the Society for Neuroscience Conference in November, 2007. The presentation is available for download. This platform is still in development and not yet available for research.
Academic Collaboration
Lumos Labs is continually conducting research to further understand how cognitive exercise can improve lives. New and proven exercises alike are repeatedly analyzed so that they can be improved, and so that we can understand in finer detail the optimal strategies for maximizing brain fitness in each, varied individual.
We also facilitate research exploring the value of cognitive training in specific groups including patient populations and professionals with specific performance needs. Much of this research is conducted by academic research institutions independent of Lumos Labs.
Chemobrain
Research currently underway will help determine if Lumos Labs exercises can be effective in ameliorating cognitive impairment due to chemotherapy.
Stanford University Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research is currently conducting a study at Packard Hospital involving learning problems in children who have cancer or who have had cancer. Some children with cancer who have been treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapies may experience certain difficulties with problem solving, attention, memory and academic skills. This phenomenon is often known as "chemobrain" and has only recently begun to be recognized as an important problem among cancer survivors.
This study aims to investigate factors that contribute to chemobrain in children and to use this information to design and test treatments for chemobrain. The study will involve neuropsychological evaluation of attention, memory, problem solving and academic skills in children with cancer. Those children who show cognitive difficulties will be invited to participate in a cognitive rehabilitation program designed to improve learning and problem solving skills.
Patients may be asked to participate in a brain MRI before and after treatment. Eligible participants will receive a free neuropsychological evaluation report and free cognitive treatment.