Cortical Thickness Changes Correlate with Cognition Changes after Cognitive Training: Evidence from a Chinese...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Cognitive training interventions aim to enhance cognitive functions in older adults.
• Understanding the neural correlates, specifically cortical thickness changes, associated with cognitive training is crucial for healthy aging research.
• Differentiating the effects of multi-domain versus single-domain cognitive training on brain structure and cognitive performance remains an area of interest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between changes in cortical thickness and cognitive function in healthy older adults following cognitive training.
• To compare the differential impacts of multi-domain versus single-domain cognitive training interventions on cortical structure and cognitive performance.
• To identify specific cortical regions and cognitive domains affected by different types of cognitive training.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure cortical thickness in participants aged 65-75.
• Cortical thickness was analyzed using FreeSurfer Software.
• Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS).

Main Results:

• Significant group × time interaction effects were observed in the left supramarginal and left frontal pole cortical regions.
• Multi-domain cognitive training showed positive correlations between cortical changes and attention, delayed memory, and total scores, but negative correlations with immediate memory and language scores.
• Single-domain cognitive training demonstrated positive associations between cortical changes and immediate memory, delayed memory, and total scores, alongside negative associations with visuospatial/constructional, language, and attention scores.

Conclusions:

• Multi-domain cognitive training provided greater benefits for visuospatial/constructional abilities, attention, and delayed memory in healthy older adults.
• Single-domain cognitive training was more effective in improving immediate memory.
• The findings suggest that multi-domain cognitive training is more advantageous than single-domain training for healthy older adults, impacting cortical thickness and cognitive function.