Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 4, 2026
07:01
Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
Published on: September 20, 2020
The Role of Inhibitory Control in Moderating Working Memory Training Transfer: Evidence from a Preregistered Trial
Anja Pahor1, Morgan Gomez2, Susanne Jaeggi2
1University of Maribor.
Research Square
|July 3, 2026
Summary
Inhibitory control (IC) influences how well working memory training transfers to other cognitive tasks. Lower baseline IC may limit training benefits by hindering the filtering of irrelevant information.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Cognition
Background:
- Cognitive training programs often use gamification to boost engagement.
- The precise cognitive mechanisms linking gamification to training efficacy are unclear.
- Gamification may introduce irrelevant stimuli, increasing demands on executive functions like inhibitory control (IC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if baseline inhibitory control (IC) moderates cognitive transfer after working memory training.
- To determine if IC constrains training benefits by affecting the ability to filter irrelevant information.
- To examine this relationship in both younger and older adults.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of a prior working memory training study in younger adults.
- A preregistered, double-blind, randomized crossover trial with healthy older adults.
- Participants completed 40 sessions of N-back training in game and nongame conditions.
Main Results:
- Baseline IC significantly moderated transfer to untrained N-back and Complex Span tasks in older adults.
- General cognitive ability did not show a similar moderating effect.
- Findings suggest IC is a crucial individual difference in cognitive plasticity.
Conclusions:
- Inhibitory control (IC) is a key factor influencing the effectiveness of cognitive training, particularly working memory tasks.
- Baseline IC levels can predict the degree of cognitive transfer observed after training.
- Assessing baseline IC may help personalize cognitive interventions for age-related cognitive decline.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Working Memory
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.
01:14Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...