Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026
Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
Published on: September 20, 2020
The ACTIVE cognitive training interventions and trajectories of performance among older adults
Richard N Jones1, Michael Marsiske, Karlene Ball
1Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA.
Objectives:
Salthouse illustrated that among Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) participants, cognitive change accelerated following training. Our goal was to determine if this finding persists net of practice, training, and loss of training gains effects.
Methods:
We evaluated change over 5 years following cognitive training among older adults (N = 1,659, age 65 to 94).
Results:
Reasoning training, but not memory or speed, attenuated aging-related change. Memory gains were maintained, but about half of reasoning and speed gains were lost. Performance differences at the end of the follow-up were equivalent to about 6, 4, and 8 years of aging for memory, reasoning, and speed training, respectively.
Discussion:
Training can appear to accelerate age-related change, because change over time is coupled with loss of training gains. Our analysis is limited by follow-up that is short for precisely characterizing aging-related change.
