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Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
07:01

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment

Published on: September 20, 2020

On the impacts of working memory training on executive functioning.

Tiina Salminen1, Tilo Strobach, Torsten Schubert

  • 1Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Germany.

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|June 12, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Working memory (WM) training can improve cognitive functions beyond the trained task. This study shows WM training enhances WM updating, task switching, and attentional processing, but not dual-tasking or reasoning skills.

Keywords:
executive functionstransferworking memory training

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Working memory (WM) training has shown promise for cognitive enhancement.
  • However, the extent and specificity of transfer effects to other cognitive functions remain debated.
  • Previous research often suffers from heterogeneous outcome measures and training paradigms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically investigate transfer effects of a demanding WM training task.
  • To assess generalization to various executive functions including WM updating, dual-tasking, task switching, and attentional processing.
  • To examine the impact of WM training on reasoning abilities.

Main Methods:

  • Participants underwent a rigorous WM training regimen involving simultaneous visual and auditory n-back tasks.
  • Transfer effects were evaluated using tasks measuring WM updating, dual-task performance, task switching, attentional processing, and reasoning.
  • A systematic approach was employed to measure diverse executive functions.

Main Results:

  • Significant improvements were observed in the trained WM task and in WM updating.
  • Trained participants demonstrated enhanced performance in task switching and attentional processing.
  • No significant transfer effects were found for dual-task performance or reasoning abilities.

Conclusions:

  • WM training is effective in improving core WM functions.
  • Training-induced benefits can generalize to specific executive functions like WM updating, task switching, and attentional processing.
  • WM training does not appear to enhance dual-task coordination or general reasoning skills.