Learning to integrate versus inhibiting information is modulated by age
Marinella Cappelletti1, Helen Pikkat2, Emily Upstill2
1Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths College, University of London, London, SE14 6NW, United Kingdom m.cappelletti@ucl.ac.uk m.cappelletti@gold.ac.uk.
Summary
Cognitive training improves learning, but the underlying mechanisms differ by age. Younger adults enhance information integration, while older adults improve inhibition, revealing age-dependent learning processes.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Neuroplasticity
- Human Aging
Background:
- Cognitive training often enhances learning, but the specific cognitive processes and age-related differences remain unclear.
- Understanding learning mechanisms is crucial for developing effective interventions across the lifespan.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether cognitive training improves information integration or inhibitory control in young and aging adults.
- To examine age-dependent differences in learning content and transfer effects following cognitive training.
Main Methods:
- Trained 30 young and 30 aging adults on a numerosity discrimination task.
- Utilized parietal, motor, or sham transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) alongside training.
- Assessed improvements in cue-integration and inhibitory abilities, and transfer effects to related tasks.
Main Results:
- Numerosity discrimination improved with training, particularly in the parietal tRNS group, irrespective of age.
- Younger adults showed greater improvements in cue-integration, while aging adults showed greater improvements in inhibitory control.
- Transfer effects were age-dependent: cue-integration gains in young adults transferred to continuous quantity, while inhibition gains in older adults generalized to other inhibition tasks.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive training can enhance distinct, age-dependent cognitive processes.
- Identifying specific learning mechanisms is vital for tailoring effective cognitive training programs.
- Age-related differences in learning content impact transfer effects, suggesting distinct neural resource utilization.
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