Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview
Dr. Doug Polster is a sports neuropsychologist specializing in the enhancement of brain and body health through positive cognitive and behavioral change. He is the co-founder of aratrain, a brain optimization company, and is a partner and COO at Thriving Center of Psychology, an outpatient psychology practice providing evidence-based treatment for a wide range of psychological disorders. He also maintains a volunteer faculty role at the UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program, a concussion clinic focusing on the treatment of patients suffering from prolonged concussion symptoms. Dr. Polster completed his undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University where he captained the men’s basketball team. He attended Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL where he earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology, with an emphasis in sports and health. Following graduation, he completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship in sports neuropsychology at the UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program.
Dr. Adam Darby is the co-founder of aratrain, a brain optimization company. He also practices as a general neurologist in Thousand Oaks, CA and holds a position as an attending neurologist at the UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSPORT program which specializes in the treatment of sports and military-related head injuries. Dr. Darby was born and raised in Sunderland, England and attended Durham University where he received a Bachelor of Science honors degree in Environmental Sciences. He received his medical degree from St. Georges University School of Medicine as part of the Global Scholars partnership with Northumbria University in Newcastle, England. He completed his Internal Medicine internship and Neurology residency at the University of Vermont before moving to California to complete fellowship training at UCLA. He completed fellowship training in Behavioral Neurology and Sports Neurology/Neurotrauma. Dr. Darby is board-certified with American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and United Council of Neurological Subspecialties Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry. In 2023, he was named as a Rising Star by Super Doctors Southern California.
Could you both share some insights into the early stages of aratrain´s development
when you first combined your expertise in sports concussion and brain health?
Doug: Adam and I met at UCLA during our fellowships at BrainSPORT, a sports concussion clinic. Our clinical work focused on brain injury recovery as well as overall brain health. After years of treating patients, we both were looking for a way to help people before they became patients. As we researched some of the cutting-edge work that was being done in the cognitive exercise space, it became clear that combining physical exercise with cognitive training was an exciting route.
Adam: I was lucky enough to be introduced to an exercise group that was working with Parkinson’s patients. They were interested in our idea of combining physical exercise with cognitive training. So, Doug and I created a program that combined both. We started really old school by making rubber mats with numbers and shapes on them. We then incorporated memory games into their physical exercise regime. For example, we would read out a list of numbers, have them do bicep curls, and then tap the numbers in the correct order with their feet. The response was amazing, and we knew we were on to something. The next step was figuring out how to scale it. We shifted to software development to create an app based on our initial program.
What were some of the initial challenges you faced in merging physical exercise and
cognitive training?
Doug: I’d say the hardest part was how to take what was in our minds and put it into software. Adam and I are brain experts, not coders, and we had to create this from scratch. Initially, working with our development team to create the best version of the training was an uphill battle. But once they had a better understanding of what we were trying to create, the pieces started falling together.
Adam: One of the other hurdles we faced was creating challenging cognitive tasks that were not too challenging for people to do. We were able to achieve this through algorithms in the software that allow people to start slow and as they progress the program adapts to their ability level. We also had to get creative with the physical exercises so that individuals of all ability levels could participate. For example, we have chair-based exercises for those with limited mobility.
What was the inspiration behind the name aratrain´s?
Doug: We wanted a name that was unique but something that represented the program. It was actually my dad who brought up the Greek concept of ‘arete,’ meaning the quality of excellence, striving to be one’s best, reaching one’s highest potential of body and mind. What better word to describe the program?! So, we created our own unique version, and the name aratrain was born.
How do you believe your program sets you apart from other brain training and exercise programs on the market?
Adam: Our program, as far as we know, is the only software-based program that combines both forms of training without the need for any outside materials or programming. We also include mindfulness, which is very unique. Many of the other options out there only do one option or the other. There are a few that combine physical and brain exercises, but they require equipment or the need to create your own physical workouts. We’ve made aratrain a simple, all-in-one platform to exercise your mind and body.
Can you explain in more detail how the combination of physical exercise and brain training in aratrain specifically capitalizes on the brain´s "primed learning state" during physical activity? What is brain training?
Adam: We’ve known for a while about the benefits of ‘regular’ physical exercise. What may surprise people is there is increasing data to support its role in enhancing learning, problem-solving, and memory function. It can also reduce anxiety, depression, and help with sleep, all of which will indirectly improve cognitive functioning. When you physically exercise, the brain is in an optimized state ready to receive and use information in the short term and better able to learn and remember in the long term. This is why we included cognitive training (or brain exercise), to really capitalize on that state. Brain training, or brain exercise, is any activity that engages your cognitive skills such as memory, focus, complex attention, etc.
Brain exercises can strengthen neural pathways and also build new ones (called neuroplasticity). To make improvements the exercises should be challenging, yet doable, with built-in progression and variation (just like physical exercise) so you can continue to make gains. The aratrain method exposes the user to a variety of challenging brain ‘games’ aimed at training your memory and focus at a time when the brain is truly switched on!
What scientific principles or research findings support this unique approach?
Adam: This question gets at the real heart of our program. While it may seem trendy to just put these two types of exercise together, there is actually some great data coming from the neuroscience research community supporting the combination of physical and cognitive exercise. As neuroscientists, we really like to dive into this topic when discussing our program. As it relates to pure physical exercise, many studies have found that the parts of the brain that control thinking and memory are larger in volume in those who engage in long-term physical exercise compared to those who don´t.
During physical exercise, not only is there an increased flow of nutrients to the brain as a result of increased blood flow, but researchers have now discovered that a gene that promotes neuronal growth can be activated by exercise, particularly short bursts of exercise, and this is thought to prime the brain for learning. There is some really interesting work being done on BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) which is a significant growth factor in the brain that nurtures existing neurons and encourages the growth and development of new ones. Certain ways of exercising can better promote its production. We have taken this into account with the type and duration of the physical exercises in the app.
There is also ongoing research looking at brain training benefits and the overall data is encouraging. We know that any cognitively challenging experience has the potential to produce changes in neural systems. It has been repeatedly shown to produce improvements in the practiced skill(s). In some cases, these gains can also extend to improvement in other cognitive tasks. There is a trend that a varied brain training plan that covers different cognitive domains is the best approach and that is what we are striving for with aratrain. As with physical exercise, studies have shown increasing benefits for those engaging in longer-term brain training regimens, particularly for working memory and verbal scores. As with any exercise program, training should be ongoing as gains do have the potential to dissipate over time.
There have been studies on school-aged children looking at the physical and cognitive exercise (classroom learning) combination. The results have included improved attention span as well as improvements in multitasking and working memory compared to controls. The good news is that this is not just something for younger age groups. This neuroplasticity (brain change through growth and reorganization) is possible throughout the lifespan and even can be of benefit to those experiencing cognitive impairment beyond just age-related decline. In fact, a randomized controlled trial was just published in Geriatrics that showed older adults with mild cognitive impairment who received aerobic-resistance exercises with sequential computerized cognitive training had significantly improved cognition.
Given all of this data, it seems only logical to combine brain and body exercises!
Can you provide examples of exercises or techniques used to enhance these cognitive functions and explain how they contribute to improved overall brain health and performance?
Doug: All of our workouts require individuals to maintain a cognitive set. Put more simply, they have to focus on one task while tuning out all other distractions. This is broadly applicable in everyone’s day-to-day life. You may need to focus on an email while a coworker is talking, recall your presentation while standing in front of your coworkers, or tune out the crowd while focusing on shooting a free throw. We provide a unique way of practicing that skill.
For example, in our Cognitive Circuits workout, you have to remember a specific stimulus (such as shapes or a blinking pattern of dots) while you perform a physical exercise (such as jumping jacks). You then have to recall the correct order and tap your answer (we give you data on both your speed and accuracy!). So, you have to intensely focus on remembering the stimulus while your body is exercising. Similar to the way regular practice and repetition enhance the health of your body, exercising your brain through consistent practice and repetition promotes a healthier mind. Exercise, whether physical or cognitive, has both short-term and long-term gains (and the combination is even better!).
Could you elaborate on how aratrain incorporates mindfulness practices into its brain training program, and what benefits users can expect in terms of focus, stress reduction, or other aspects of cognitive function through these practices?
Doug: I’ve used mindfulness in my clinical practice for years. One of the common challenges my patients have is that it is “hard” or “boring” or they “get distracted” easily. So, I started switching it up and incorporating movement into mindfulness practice. Movement is a great way to reduce distractions (including distracting thoughts) as it is easier to focus on the body while it is moving than when it is sedentary. In our program, we have multiple ways we incorporate mindfulness into movement. For example, we have Mindful Core, which is a core exercise program, purposely done with slow movement, while you listen to a guided mindfulness audio to help you focus on your abs contracting and releasing. Similarly, Mindful Flexibility is a full body stretch where you are guided to focus on the release of tension in your body. The result is twofold: 1) you are practicing staying present and focused and 2) afterwards, you feel relaxed.
Could you provide some examples of the feedback you have gotten from those who have used aratrain and how it has impacted their life?
Doug: We almost always get the same feedback and in the same order. When people first use aratrain, they are surprised how challenging yet fun it is. They then tell us how they did not realize how distractible they were! Finally, after using it for a while, in their normal day-to-day life, they are able to catch themselves when they are distracted quicker and return their focus to whatever task they were working on. We’ve had reports of being more efficient at work, more present at home, and less distracted in school. The feedback that was initially most surprising is that people have reported the workouts fly by! They explained they are focusing so hard on recalling a pattern or being mindful that all of a sudden, the workout is over.
Can you provide any insights or hints about upcoming developments, features, or advancements that users can look forward to in the future of aratrain?
Adam: One of the things we are super excited about as we look towards the future is collaborating with companies to help support the health and wellness of their employees. Corporate wellness programs are on the rise and that’s great news for employees. But few, if any, focus on both body and brain health. Additionally, currently aratrain is designed to be used by individuals. We are looking forward to creating a more social and competitive environment where you can compete with your friends as well as introducing novel ways to train your brain. Finally, we are always looking to create novel ways to challenge your brain, so stay tuned for new cognitive challenges!
For more information about aratrain, please visit the Website, Instagram and download the app for Apple and Android
