scholarly journals The Effects of Working Memory Training on Brain Activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Edward Nęcka ◽  
Aleksandra Gruszka ◽  
Adam Hampshire ◽  
Justyna Sarzyńska-Wawer ◽  
Andreea-Elena Anicai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
High Accuracy ◽  
Stop Signal Task ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Parietal Lobes ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Back Task

This study aimed to investigate if two weeks of working memory (WM) training on a progressive N-back task can generate changes in the activity of the underlying WM neural network. Forty-six healthy volunteers (23 training and 23 controls) were asked to perform the N-back task during three fMRI scanning sessions: (1) before training, (2) after the half of training sessions, and (3) at the end. Between the scanning sessions, the experimental group underwent a 10-session training of working memory with the use of an adaptive version of the N-back task, while the control group did not train anything. The N-back task in the scanning sessions was relatively easy (n = 2) in order to ensure high accuracy and a lack of between-group differences at the behavioral level. Such training-induced differences in neural efficiency were expected. Behavioral analyses revealed improved performance of both groups on the N-back task. However, these improvements resulted from the test-retest effect, not the training outside scanner. Performance on the non-trained stop-signal task did not demonstrate any transfer effect. Imaging analysis showed changes in activation in several significant clusters, with overlapping regions of interest in the frontal and parietal lobes. However, patterns of between-session changes of activation did not show any effect of training. The only finding that can be linked with training consists in strengthening the correlation between task performance accuracy and activation of the parietal regions of the neural network subserving working memory (left superior parietal lobule and right supramarginal gyrus posterior). These results suggest that the effects of WM training consist in learning that, in order to ensure high accuracy in the criterion task, activation of the parietal regions implicated in working memory updating must rise.

scholarly journals Working memory training shows immediate and long-term effects on cognitive performance in children

F1000Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Pugin ◽  
Andreas J. Metz ◽  
Madlaina Stauffer ◽  
Martin Wolf ◽  
Oskar G. Jenni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Back Task

Working memory is important for mental reasoning and learning processes. Several studies in adults and school-age children have shown performance improvement in cognitive tests after working memory training. Our aim was to examine not only immediate but also long-term effects of intensive working memory training on cognitive performance tests in children. Fourteen healthy male subjects between 10 and 16 years trained a visuospatial n-back task over 3 weeks (30 min daily), while 15 individuals of the same age range served as a passive control group. Significant differences in immediate (after 3 weeks of training) and long-term effects (after 2-6 months) in an auditory n-back task were observed compared to controls (2.5 fold immediate and 4.7 fold long-term increase in the training group compared to the controls). The improvement was more pronounced in subjects who improved their performance during the training. Other cognitive functions (matrices test and Stroop task) did not change when comparing the training group to the control group. We conclude that visuospatial working memory training in children boosts performance in similar memory tasks such as the auditory n-back task. The sustained performance improvement several months after the training supports the effectiveness of the training.

scholarly journals Working memory training shows immediate and long-term effects on cognitive performance in children

F1000Research ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Pugin ◽  
Andreas J. Metz ◽  
Madlaina Stauffer ◽  
Martin Wolf ◽  
Oskar G. Jenni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Back Task

Working memory is important for mental reasoning and learning processes. Several studies in adults and school-age children have shown performance improvement in cognitive tests after working memory training. Our aim was to examine not only immediate but also long-term effects of intensive working memory training on cognitive performance tests in children. Fourteen healthy male subjects between 10 and 16 years trained a visuospatial n-back task over 3 weeks (30 min daily), while 15 individuals of the same age range served as a passive control group. Significant differences in immediate (after 3 weeks of training) and long-term effects (after 2-6 months) in an auditory n-back task were observed compared to controls (2.5 fold immediate and 4.7 fold long-term increase in the training group compared to the controls). The improvement was more pronounced in subjects who improved their performance during the training. Other cognitive functions (matrices test and Stroop task) did not change when comparing the training group to the control group. We conclude that visuospatial working memory training in children boosts performance in similar memory tasks such as the auditory n-back task. The sustained performance improvement several months after the training supports the effectiveness of the training.

scholarly journals Combined physical and cognitive exercises impact on the power of slow brainwaves of elderly with mild cognitive commitment (MCC)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Rodrigues Leite ◽  
Shayane Pereira Gonçalves ◽  
Anderson Pontes Morales ◽  
Bruna Carvalho Pelliciari ◽  
Mauricio Rocha Calomeni
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Emotional Processing ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Electrode Impedance ◽  
Theta Wave

Population aging is a global phenomenon, the passage from an aging state that is healthy to a process of loss of cognitive functions is mediated by the installation of a state of Mild Cognitive Commitment (MCC), which may or may not evolve into dementia. . In the early stages of dementia there is an increase in Theta activity and the more advanced stages there is an increase in Delta activity. The study verified the effect of the association of physical and cognitive stimuli on the power of Theta and Delta brain waves of elderly people with MCC. 18 elderly of both genders,aged over 60 years, diagnosed with CCL were divided into Control Group (CG, n=8); Experimental Group (GE, n=10). Brainwave power was determined via EEG with electrodes positioned according to the international 10/20 system. Asepsis of the checkpoints was performed with cotton and a 70º alcohol solution. For data collection, it was verified if the electrode impedance rate was below 20 (KΩ). Brain activity was monitored for 3 minutes to determine a baseline. The points of interest were points F7 which is related to visual and auditory working memory, selective and divided attention, F8 related to visual and spatial working memory, emotional processing and attention maintenance, and finally points P3 and P4 related to problem-solving, attention, and association, visual processing and non-verbal association. In addition to these, points A1 and A2 were used as a reference and another point as ground. The CG continued to attend memory training meetings. The GE went through training sessions that combined physical and cognitive exercises. Weekly 40-minute sessions were held for 7 weeks. Test T was used in all comparisons. It was found that the GC registered Theta increase in the parietal areas and Delta in both the parietal and frontal areas. The GE had a decrease in theta wave power in the parietal and frontal areas. None of the comparisons between groups proved to be statistically significant. It is concluded that the association of physical and cognitive stimuli applied in weekly sessions of 40 minutes for 7 weekswas not sufficient to produce statistically significant results. However, the observed results are qualitatively similar to those of other studies that indicate the efficiency of this type of training when used during longer intervention periods.

scholarly journals Working memory training shows immediate and long-term effects on cognitive performance in children and adolescents

F1000Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Pugin ◽  
Andreas J. Metz ◽  
Madlaina Stauffer ◽  
Martin Wolf ◽  
Oskar G. Jenni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Training Group ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Back Task

Working memory is important for mental reasoning and learning processes. Several studies in adults and school-age children have shown performance improvement in cognitive tests after working memory training. Our aim was to examine not only immediate but also long-term effects of intensive working memory training on cognitive performance tests in children and adolescents. Fourteen healthy male subjects between 10 and 16 years trained a visuospatial n-back task over 3 weeks (30 min daily), while 15 individuals of the same age range served as a passive control group. Significant differences in immediate (after 3 weeks of training) and long-term effects (after 2-6 months) in an auditory n-back task were observed compared to controls (2.5 fold immediate and 4.7 fold long-term increase in the training group compared to the controls). The improvement was more pronounced in subjects who improved their performance during the training. Other cognitive functions (matrices test and Stroop task) did not change when comparing the training group to the control group. We conclude that spatial working memory training in children and adolescents boosts performance in similar memory tasks such as the auditory n-back task. The sustained performance improvement several months after the training supports the effectiveness of the training.

scholarly journals Dual n-back working memory training evinces superior transfer effects compared to the method of loci

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjuan Li ◽  
Qiuzhu Zhang ◽  
Hongying Qiao ◽  
Donggang Jin ◽  
Ronald K. Ngetich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Training Methods ◽  
Transfer Effects ◽  
Blank Control Group ◽  
Training Groups ◽  
Method Of Loci ◽  
Back Task

AbstractWorking memory (WM) training is a prevalent intervention for multiple cognitive deficits, however, the transfer effects to other cognitive tasks from gains in WM induced by different training techniques still remains controversial. Therefore, the current study recruited three groups of young adults to investigate the memory training transference, with N-back group (NBG) (n = 50) training on dual n-back task, Memory Palace group (MPG) (n = 50) on method of loci, and a blank control group (BCG) (n = 48) receiving no training. Our results showed that both training groups separately improved WM capacity on respective trained task. For untrained tasks, both training groups enhanced performance on digit-span task, while on change detection task, significant improvement was only observed in NBG. In conclusion, while both techniques can be used as effective training methods to improve WM, the dual n-back task training method, perhaps has a more prominent transfer effect than that of method of loci.

scholarly journals Neural Correlates of Working Memory Training: Evidence for Plasticity in Older Adults

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandru D. Iordan ◽  
Katherine A. Cooke ◽  
Kyle D. Moored ◽  
Benjamin Katz ◽  
Martin Buschkuehl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Neural Efficiency ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Task Positive Network ◽  
New Evidence

AbstractBrain activity typically increases with increasing working memory (WM) load, regardless of age, before reaching an apparent ceiling. However, older adults exhibit greater brain activity and reach ceiling at lower loads than younger adults, possibly reflecting compensation at lower loads and dysfunction at higher loads. We hypothesized that WM training would bolster neural efficiency, such that the activation peak would shift towards higher memory loads after training. Pre-training, older adults showed greater recruitment of the WM network than younger adults across all loads, with decline at the highest load. Ten days of adaptive training on a verbal WM task improved performance and led to greater brain responsiveness at higher loads for both groups. For older adults the activation peak shifted rightward towards higher loads. Finally, training increased task-related functional connectivity in older adults, both within the WM network and between this task-positive network and the task-negative/default-mode network. These results provide new evidence for functional plasticity with training in older adults and identify a potential signature of improvement at the neural level.

Pattern of Near Transfer Effects Following Working Memory Training With a Dual N-Back Task

2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 240-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Soveri ◽  
Eric P. A. Karlsson ◽  
Otto Waris ◽  
Petra Grönholm-Nyman ◽  
Matti Laine
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Composite Score ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Interference Control ◽  
Transfer Effects ◽  
Near Transfer ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Transfer Tasks ◽  
Back Task

Abstract. In a randomized controlled trial, we investigated the pattern of near transfer effects of working memory (WM) training with an adaptive auditory-visuospatial dual n-back training task in healthy young adults. The results revealed significant task-specific transfer to an untrained single n-back task, and more general near transfer to a WM updating composite score plus a nearly significant effect on a composite score measuring interference control in WM. No transfer effects were seen on Active or Passive WM composites. The results are discussed in the light of cognitive versus strategy-related overlap between training and transfer tasks.

Does Strategic Memory Training Improve the Working Memory Performance of Younger and Older Adults?

2007 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Carretti ◽  
Erika Borella ◽  
Rossana De Beni
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Strategic Training ◽  
Strategic Memory ◽  
Experimental Group

Abstract. The paper examines the effect of strategic training on the performance of younger and older adults in an immediate list-recall and a working memory task. The experimental groups of younger and older adults received three sessions of memory training, teaching the use of mental images to improve the memorization of word lists. In contrast, the control groups were not instructed to use any particular strategy, but they were requested to carry out the memory exercises. The results showed that strategic training improved performance of both the younger and older experimental groups in the immediate list recall and in the working memory task. Of particular interest, the improvement in working memory performance of the older experimental group was comparable to that of the younger experimental group.

scholarly journals Brain activity pattern changes after adaptive working memory training in multiple sclerosis

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 142-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Bonzano ◽  
Ludovico Pedullà ◽  
Matteo Pardini ◽  
Andrea Tacchino ◽  
Paola Zaratin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Activity Pattern ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Working Memory Training ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Brain Activity Pattern

scholarly journals Abnormal brain activity patterns during spatial working memory task in patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis: a fMRI study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinzhuang Huang ◽  
Lei Xie ◽  
Ruiwei Guo ◽  
Jinhong Wang ◽  
Jinquan Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Frontal Cortex ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Parietal Lobule ◽  
Stage Renal Disease ◽  
End Stage ◽  
Esrd Patients ◽  
Back Task

Abstract Hemodialysis (HD) is associated with cognitive impairment in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, the neural mechanism of spatial working memory (SWM) impairment in HD-ESRD patients remains unclear. We investigated the abnormal alterations in SWM-associated brain activity patterns in HD-ESRD patients using blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-fMRI) technique during n-back tasks. Twenty-two HD-ESRD patients and 22 well-matched controls underwent an fMRI scan while undergoing a three-load n-back tasks with different difficulty levels. Cognitive and mental states were assessed using a battery of neuropsychologic tests. The HD-ESRD patients exhibited worse memory abilities than controls. Compared with the control group, the HD-ESRD patient group showed lower accuracy and longer response time under the n-back tasks, especially in the 2-back task. The patterns of brain activation changed under different working memory loads in the HD-ESRD patients, showing decreased activity in the right medial frontal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus under 0-back and 1-back task, while more decreased activation in the bilateral frontal cortex, parietal lobule, anterior/posterior cingulate cortex and insula cortex under 2-back task. With the increase of task difficulty, the activation degree of the frontal and parietal cortex decreased. More importantly, we found that lower activation in frontal cortex and parietal lobule was associated with worse cognitive function in the HD-ESRD patients. These results demonstrate that the abnormal brain activity patterns of frontal cortex and parietal lobule may reflect the neural mediation of SWM impairment.

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