Does working memory training have to be adaptive?

This study tested the common assumption that, to be most effective, working memory (WM) training should be adaptive (i.e., task difficulty is adjusted to individual performance). Indirect evidence for this assumption stems from studies comparing adaptive training to a condition in which tasks are practiced on the easiest level of difficulty only [cf. Klingberg (Trends Cogn Sci 14:317-324, 2010)], thereby, however, confounding adaptivity and exposure to varying task difficulty. For a more direct test of this hypothesis, we randomly assigned 130 young adults to one of the three WM training procedures (adaptive, randomized, or self-selected change in training task difficulty) or to an active control group. Despite large performance increases in the trained WM tasks, we observed neither transfer to untrained structurally dissimilar WM tasks nor far transfer to reasoning. Surprisingly, neither training nor transfer effects were modulated by training procedure, indicating that exposure to varying levels of task difficulty is sufficient for inducing training gains

Effects of a cognitive training on spatial learning and associated functional brain activations

BACKGROUND: Both cognitive and physical exercise have been discussed as promising interventions for healthy cognitive aging. The present study assessed the effects of cognitive training (spatial vs. perceptual training) and physical training (endurance training vs. non-endurance training) on spatial learning and associated brain activation in 33 adults (40–55 years). Spatial learning was assessed with a virtual maze task, and at the same time neural correlates were measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). RESULTS: Only the spatial training improved performance in the maze task. These behavioral gains were accompanied by a decrease in frontal and temporal lobe activity. At posttest, participants of the spatial training group showed lower activity than participants of the perceptual training group in a network of brain regions associated with spatial learning, including the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus. No significant differences were observed between the two physical intervention groups. CONCLUSIONS: Functional changes in neural systems associated with spatial navigation can be induced by cognitive interventions and seem to be stronger than effects of physical exercise in middle-aged adults

Cognitive rehabilitation in normal aging and individuals with subjective cognitive decline

Item does not contain fulltextAging-related changes include declines in especially episodic memory, working memory, processing speed, and executive functions. Cognitive rehabilitation programs for healthy older adults with subjective cognitive decline consist of brain training, strategy training, and multimodal interventions. In general, these interventions show small improvements within the trained domain (near-transfer effects), but limited benefits on untrained cognitive domains or everyday functioning (far-transfer effects). Multimodal approaches might be more effective to enhance multiple cognitive domains and everyday functioning. However, the current lack of clear efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation techniques in healthy older adults might be explained by methodological shortcomings of previous studies and the notion that aging-related cognitive decline is not considered to reflect impairments. Future interventions with longer follow-up duration should therefore focus more on psychoeducation on normal cognitive aging and target self-efficacy and worrying to diminish subjective cognitive complaints