Cognitive Training Sustainably Improves Executive Functioning in Middle-Aged Industry Workers Assessed by Task...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Middle-aged workers in repetitive, unchallenging jobs exhibit executive function deficits.
• Previous cross-sectional study identified performance and electrophysiological declines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of trainer-guided cognitive training (CT) in ameliorating executive function deficits.
• To assess the longitudinal effects and stability of cognitive improvements.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial with 57 middle-aged workers.
• Intervention: 3-month (20 sessions) trainer-guided cognitive training.
• Evaluation: Task switching paradigm with behavioral and electrophysiological measures at pre- (t1), post- (t2), and 3-month follow-up (t3).

Main Results:

• Cognitive training significantly improved behavioral accuracy.
• CT modulated electrophysiological correlates of stimulus-response set retrieval (P2), response selection (N2), and error detection (Ne).
• Training effects were observed in a waiting control group and were largely stable at follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Cognitive training is an effective intervention for compensating executive function deficits.
• CT offers a viable method to enhance cognitive performance in middle-aged employees with demanding work.
• Neurophysiological changes support behavioral improvements, indicating a robust training effect.