Working memory training involves learning new skills

Evidence for separate backward recall and n-back working memory factors: a large-scale latent variable analysis

Multiple studies have explored the factor structure of working memory (WM) tasks, yet few have done so controlling for both the domain and category of the memory items in a single study. In the current pre-registered study, we conducted a large-scale latent variable analysis using variant forms of n-back and backward recall tasks to test whether they measured a single underlying construct, or were distinguished by stimuli-, domain-, or paradigm-specific factors. Exploratory analyses investigated how the resulting WM factor(s) were linked to fluid intelligence. Participants (N = 703) completed a fluid reasoning test and multiple n-back and backward recall tasks containing memoranda that varied across (spatial or verbal material) and within (verbal digits or letters) domain, allowing the variance specific to task content and paradigm to be assessed. Two distinct but related backward recall and n-back constructs best captured the data, in comparison to other plausible model constructions (single WM factor, two-factor domain, and three-factor materials models). Common variance associated with WM was a stronger predictor of fluid reasoning than a residual n-back factor, but the backward recall factor predicted fluid reasoning as strongly as the common WM factor. These data emphasise the distinctiveness between backward recall and n-back tasks.

The mathematical word problem-solving performance gap between children with and without math difficulties: does working memory mediate and/or moderate treatment effects?

This study determined the extent to which working memory (WM) played a moderating and/or mediating role in word-problem-solving (WPS) instructional outcomes between children with and without math difficulties (MD). A randomized pretest-posttest control group study investigated the effects of 8-week strategy instruction in one of four treatment conditions on WPS accuracy of third graders with MD (N = 136) when compared to children with (N = 28) and without MD (N = 43). Comparisons were made of three strategy conditions that included overt cues (e.g. underlining key sentences, filling in diagrams), another treatment condition that removed the overt cues (material-only), and two control conditions (children with and without MD). Four important findings emerged. First, posttest WM significantly predicted posttest WPS, computation, and schema accuracy independent of pretest and treatment conditions. Second, posttest WM mediated posttest WPS treatment outcomes when the control conditions included children without MD. Third, strategy conditions that included overt cues (e.g. crossing out irrelevant sentences) decreased WM demands compared to the Materials-Only condition (without overt cues) for children with MD. Finally, incremental attention allocation training within treatment conditions improved posttest WM in children with MD but not posttest WPS. Results indicated that WPS differences between children with and without MD across treatment conditions were mediated by posttest WM performance.

Is working memory domain-general or domain-specific?

Given the fundamental role of working memory (WM) in all domains of cognition, a central question has been whether WM is domain-general. However, the term 'domain-general' has been used in different, and sometimes misleading, ways. By reviewing recent evidence and biologically plausible models of WM, we show that the level of domain-generality varies substantially between three facets of WM: in terms of computations, WM is largely domain-general. In terms of neural correlates, it contains both domain-general and domain-specific elements. Finally, in terms of application, it is mostly domain-specific. This variance encourages a shift of focus towards uncovering domain-general computational principles and away from domain-general approaches to the analysis of individual differences and WM training, favoring newer perspectives, such as training-as-skill-learning.

Cognitive control training with domain-general response inhibition does not change children's brains or behavior

Cognitive control is required to organize thoughts and actions and is critical for the pursuit of long-term goals. Childhood cognitive control relates to other domains of cognitive functioning and predicts later-life success and well-being. In this study, we used a randomized controlled trial to test whether cognitive control can be improved through a pre-registered 8-week intervention in 235 children aged 6-13 years targeting response inhibition and whether this leads to changes in multiple behavioral and neural outcomes compared to a response speed training. We show long-lasting improvements of closely related measures of cognitive control at the 1-year follow-up; however, training had no impact on any behavioral outcomes (decision-making, academic achievement, mental health, fluid reasoning and creativity) or neural outcomes (task-dependent and intrinsic brain function and gray and white matter structure). Bayesian analyses provide strong evidence of absent training effects. We conclude that targeted training of response inhibition does little to change children's brains or their behavior.

A digital intervention to support childhood cognition after the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot trial

Difficulties in executive functioning (EF) can result in impulsivity, forgetfulness, and inattention. Children living in remote/regional communities are particularly at risk of impairment in these cognitive skills due to reduced educational engagement and poorer access to interventions. This vulnerability has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and strategies are needed to mitigate long-term negative impacts on EF. Here we propose a pilot trial investigating the benefits, feasibility, and acceptability of a school-based EF intervention for primary school students (6-8 years) living in regional, developmentally vulnerable, and socio-economically disadvantaged communities. Students were randomised to a digital intervention or teaching as usual, for 7 weeks. Children completed measures of EF and parents/educators completed ratings of everyday EF and social/emotional wellbeing at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Change in EFs (primary outcome), everyday EF, and social/emotional wellbeing (secondary outcomes) from pre- to post-intervention and pre-intervention to 3-month follow-up were examined. Feasibility and acceptability of the intervention was assessed through educator feedback and intervention adherence.Protocol Registration: The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 20 April 2023. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/WT3S2 . The approved Stage 1 protocol is available here: https://osf.io/kzfwn .

Classification Of MeMory InTerventions: Rationale and developmental process of the COMMIT tool

ABSTRACTOver the last decades, numerous memory interventions have been developed to mitigate memory decline in normal ageing. However, there is a large variability in the success of memory interventions, and it remains poorly understood which memory intervention programs are most effective and for whom. This is partially explained by the heterogeneity of memory intervention protocols across studies as well as often poor reporting of the study design. To facilitate a reporting framework that enables researchers to systemize the content and design of memory intervention paradigms, we developed the Classification Of MeMory InTerventions (COMMIT) tool using a 3-stage developmental process. Briefly, COMMIT was based on qualitative content analysis of already existing memory intervention studies published between April 1983 and July 2020, and iteratively validated by both internal and external expert panels. COMMIT provides an easily-applicable interactive tool that enables systematic description of memory intervention studies, together with instructions on how to use this classification tool. Our main goal is to provide a tool that enables the reporting and classification of memory interventions in a transparent, comprehensible, and complete manner, to ensure a better comparability between memory interventions, and, to ultimately contribute to the question which memory intervention shows the greatest benefits.

Characterizing Longitudinal Patterns in Cognition, Mood, And Activity in Depression With 6-Week High-Frequency Wearable Assessment: Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Cognitive symptoms are an underrecognized aspect of depression that are often untreated. High-frequency cognitive assessment holds promise for improving disease and treatment monitoring. Although we have previously found it feasible to remotely assess cognition and mood in this capacity, further work is needed to ascertain the optimal methodology to implement and synthesize these techniques.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine (1) longitudinal changes in mood, cognition, activity levels, and heart rate over 6 weeks; (2) diurnal and weekday-related changes; and (3) co-occurrence of fluctuations between mood, cognitive function, and activity.

METHODS

A total of 30 adults with current mild-moderate depression stabilized on antidepressant monotherapy responded to testing delivered through an Apple Watch (Apple Inc) for 6 weeks. Outcome measures included cognitive function, assessed with 3 brief n-back tasks daily; self-reported depressed mood, assessed once daily; daily total step count; and average heart rate. Change over a 6-week duration, diurnal and day-of-week variations, and covariation between outcome measures were examined using nonlinear and multilevel models.

RESULTS

Participants showed initial improvement in the Cognition Kit N-Back performance, followed by a learning plateau. Performance reached 90% of individual learning levels on average 10 days after study onset. N-back performance was typically better earlier and later in the day, and step counts were lower at the beginning and end of each week. Higher step counts overall were associated with faster n-back learning, and an increased daily step count was associated with better mood on the same (P<.001) and following day (P=.02). Daily n-back performance covaried with self-reported mood after participants reached their learning plateau (P=.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The current results support the feasibility and sensitivity of high-frequency cognitive assessments for disease and treatment monitoring in patients with depression. Methods to model the individual plateau in task learning can be used as a sensitive approach to better characterize changes in behavior and improve the clinical relevance of cognitive data. Wearable technology allows assessment of activity levels, which may influence both cognition and mood.

When stimulus variability accelerates the learning of task knowledge in adults and school-aged children

Experience with instances that vary in their surface features helps individuals to form abstract task knowledge, leading to transfer of that knowledge to novel contexts. The current study sought to examine the role of this variability effect in how adults and school-aged children learn to engage cognitive control. We focused on the engagement of cognitive control in advance (proactive control) and in response to conflicts (reactive control) in a cued task-switching paradigm, and conducted four preregistered online experiments with adults (Experiment 1A: N = 100, Experiment 1B: N = 105) and 9- to 10-year-olds (Experiment 2A: N = 98, Experiment 2B: N = 97). It was shown that prior task experience of engaging reactive control makes both adults and 9- to 10-year-olds respond more slowly in a subsequent similar-structured condition with different stimuli in which proactive control could have been engaged. 9- to 10-year-olds (Experiment 2B) exhibited more negative transfer of a reactive control mode when uninformative cue and pre-target stimuli, which do not convey task-relevant information, were changed in each block, compared with when they were fixed. Furthermore, adults showed suggestive evidence of the variability effect both when cue and target stimuli were varied (Experiment 1A) and when uninformative cue and pre-target stimuli were varied (Experiment 1B). The collective findings of these experiments provide important insights into the contribution of stimulus variability to the engagement of cognitive control.

An item response theory approach to the measurement of working memory capacity

Complex span tasks are perhaps the most widely used paradigm to measure working memory capacity (WMC). Researchers assume that all types of complex span tasks assess domain-general WM. However, most research supporting this claim comes from factor analysis approaches that do not examine task performance at the item level, thus not allowing comparison of the characteristics of verbal and spatial complex span tasks. Item response theory (IRT) can help determine the extent to which different complex span tasks assess domain-general WM. In the current study, spatial and verbal complex span tasks were examined using IRT. The results revealed differences between verbal and spatial tasks in terms of item difficulty and block difficulty, and showed that most subjects with below-average ability were able to answer most items correctly across all tasks. In line with previous research, the findings suggest that examining domain-general WM by using only one task might elicit skewed scores based on task domain. Further, visuospatial complex span tasks should be prioritized as a measure of WMC if resources are limited.

Self-reported strategy use in working memory tasks

Mnemonic strategies can facilitate working memory performance, but our knowledge on strategy use as a function of task characteristics remains limited. We examined self-reported strategy use in several working memory tasks with pretest data from two large-scale online training experiments. A three-level measure of strategy sophistication (no strategy, maintenance, manipulation) was coded based on participants' open-ended strategy reports. A considerable portion of participants reported some memory strategy, and strategy sophistication was associated with objective task performance. We found a consistent effect of stimulus type: verbal stimuli (letters or digits) elicited higher strategy sophistication than nonverbal ones (colours or spatial positions). In contrast, the association between task paradigm and strategy sophistication was less consistent in the two experiments. The present results highlight the importance of self-generated strategies in understanding individual differences in working memory performance and the role of stimulus characteristics as one of the task-related determinants of strategy use.

Exploring Working Memory Capacity and Efficiency Processes to Understand Working Memory Training Outcomes in Primary School Children

Despite the abundance of research evaluating working memory training outcomes in children, few studies have examined the underlying cognitive mechanisms. This study aimed to contribute understanding by exploring whether working memory capacity (maximum span) and/or efficiency (basic and cognitive processing speeds), two proposed cognitive mechanisms, are associated with children's working memory performance immediately and 6-months post-intervention. We used data from a previous trial in primary school children (7-11 years) who completed working memory training (n = 52) or an active control (n = 36), comprising 10 sessions (each 20-minutes) in class over two weeks. Children completed five working memory measures at baseline, immediately and 6-months post-intervention: two Backwards Span and two Following Instructions measures (same paradigms as training activities), and one n-back measure (different paradigm). Maximum span, basic and cognitive processing speeds, and performance were calculated for each measure. Associations between change in maximum span, processing speeds and change in performance on the working memory measures from baseline to immediately and 6-months post-intervention did not differ between groups (all p < .05). Maximum span, processing speeds and performance on working memory measures did not differ between groups. Findings provide little evidence that the studied capacity or efficiency processes contribute to understanding working memory training outcomes in primary school children. Furthermore, working memory training did not have benefits for children's working capacity, efficiency or performance up to 6-months post-intervention. It is of interest for future studies to explore cognitive mechanisms, including strategy use, maximum span and information processing, in datasets where training effects are observed.

Strategy use and its evolvement in word list learning: a replication study

Spontaneous strategy employment is important for memory performance, but systematic research on strategy use and within-task evolvement is limited. This online study aimed to replicate three main findings by Waris and colleagues in Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2021): in word-list learning, spontaneous strategy use (1) predicts better task performance, (2) stabilizes along the task, and (3) increases during the first two task blocks. We administered a shortened version of their original real-word list-learning task to 209 neurotypical adults. Their first finding was partly replicated: manipulation strategies (grouping, visualization, association, narrative, other strategy) but not maintenance strategies (rehearsal/repetition, selective focus) were associated with superior word recall. The second finding on the decrease in strategy changers over task blocks was replicated. The third finding turned out to be misguided: neither our nor the original study showed task-initial increase in strategy use in the real-word learning condition. Our results confirm the important role of spontaneous strategies in understanding memory performance and the existence of task-initial dynamics in strategy employment. They support the general conclusions by Waris and colleagues: task demands can trigger strategy use even in a familiar task like learning a list of common words, and evolution of strategy use during a memory task reflects cognitive skill learning.

Strengthening of alpha synchronization is a neural correlate of cognitive transfer

Cognitive training can lead to improvements in both task-specific strategies and general capacities, such as visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM). The latter emerge slowly and linearly throughout training, in contrast to strategy where changes typically occur within the first days of training. Changes in strategy and capacity have not been separated in prior neuroimaging studies. Here, we used a within-participants design with dense temporal sampling to capture the time dynamics of neural mechanisms associated with change in capacity. In four participants, neural activity was recorded with magnetoencephalography on seven occasions over two months of visuo-spatial working memory training. During scanning, the participants performed a trained visuo-spatial working memory task, a transfer task, and a control task. First, we extracted an individual visuo-spatial working memory-load-dependent synchronization network for each participant. Next, we identified linear changes over time in the network, congruent with the temporal dynamics of capacity change. Three out of four participants showed a gradual strengthening of alpha synchronization. Strengthening of the same connections was also found in the transfer task but not in the control task. This suggests that cognitive transfer occurs through slow, gradual strengthening of alpha synchronization between cortical regions that are vital for both the trained task and the transfer task.

Evidence for positive and negative transfer of abstract task knowledge in adults and school-aged children

Engaging cognitive control is essential to flexibly adapt to constantly changing environments. However, relatively little is known about how prior task experience impacts on the engagement of cognitive control in novel task environments. We aimed to clarify how individuals learn and transfer the engagement of cognitive control with a focus on the hierarchical and temporal aspects of task knowledge. Highlighting two distinct cognitive control processes, the engagement of cognitive control in advance (proactive control) and in response to conflicts (reactive control), we conducted six preregistered online experiments with both adults (Experiment 1, 3, and 5: N = 71, N = 108, and N = 70) and 9- to 10-year-olds (Experiment 2, 4, 6: N = 69, N = 108, and N = 70). Using two different experimental paradigms, we demonstrated that prior task experience of engaging reactive control makes adults and 9-to 10-year-olds respond in a reactive way in a subsequent similar-structured condition with different stimuli in which proactive control could have been engaged. This indicates that individuals do learn knowledge about the temporal structure of task goal activation and, on occasion, negatively transfer this knowledge. Furthermore, individuals exhibited these negative transfer effects in a similar-structured condition with different task goals and stimuli, indicating that they learn hierarchically-structured task knowledge. The collective findings suggest a new way of understanding how hierarchical and temporal task knowledge influences the engagement of cognitive control and highlight potential mechanisms underlying the near transfer effects observed in cognitive control training.

Physical strength levels and short-term memory efficiency in primary school children: a possible match?

BACKGROUND

Physical strength stimulation and, in general, physical activity induces brain plasticity (functional and structural adaptations) in different cerebral areas, benefiting executive function, cognition, attention and academic performance, which is usually estimated by measuring the Intelligent Quotient (IQ), and IQ is related to short-term memory, generally during school age. However, very little is known about the role of physical strength on short-term memory efficiency. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to examine whether the level of physical strength can positively impact short-term memory efficiency in primary school children. Additionally, if this effect is observed, the secondary goal of this study is to determine whether the age of the participants plays a role in mediating and moderating this influence.

METHODS

Seventy-five children from a primary school in the metropolitan area of Turin were recruited for this study. Each subject performed the overhead medicine ball toss (backwards) test to assess physical strength and the Digit Span test from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) to evaluate short-term memory efficiency. Firstly, a simple mediation model was used to identify the possible impact of physical strength levels on short-term memory efficiency and the potential role of participants' chronological age. Secondly, a moderation model was carried out to observe if age could moderate the impact of physical training on short-term memory efficiency and the different significance levels of the moderator. Significance was assumed at P<0.05.

RESULTS

The results showed a statistically significant direct effect of physical strength on short-term memory (Β=0.429, t(72)=3.247, P<0.01). On the contrary, age was not statistically significant (Β=0.167, t(72)=3.247, P=0.211). Furthermore, a significant interaction between strength and age was identified by the moderation model (β=-0.270, P<0.01). Specifically, the impact of physical strength levels on short-term memory increased for individuals who were above the mean age (β=0.755, P<0.001). but not for those under the mean age (β=0.215, P=0.153). This model explains 37.2% of the variance in memory (R2=0.372, F(3, 71)=14.031, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that physical strength can positively influence short-term memory. In addition, this impact is enhanced in older-age children. Thus, primary school programs should stimulate physical strength to help children develop cognitive abilities.

Asymmetric negative transfer effects of working memory training

Gathercole et al. (Journal of Memory and Language, 105, 19-42, 2019) presented a cognitive routine framework for explaining the underlying mechanisms of working memory (WM) training and transfer. This framework conceptualizes training-induced changes as the acquisition of novel cognitive routines similar to learning a new skill. We further infer that WM training might not always generate positive outcomes because previously acquired routines may affect subsequent task performance in various ways. Thus, the present study aimed to demonstrate the negative effects of WM training via two experiments. We conducted Experiment 1 online using a two-phase training paradigm with only three training sessions per phase and replicated the key findings of Gathercole and Norris (in prep.) that training on a backward circle span task (a spatial task) transferred negatively to subsequent training on a backward letter span task (a verbal task). We conducted Experiment 2 using a reversed task order design corresponding to Experiment 1. The results indicated that the transfer from backward letter training to backward circle training was not negative, but rather weakly positive, suggesting that the direction of the negative transfer effect is asymmetric. The present study therefore found that a negative transfer effect can indeed occur under certain WM training designs. The presence of this asymmetric effect indicates that backward circle and backward letter tasks require different optimal routines and that the locus of negative transfer might be the acquisition process of such optimal routines. Hence, the routines already established for backward circle might hinder the development of optimal routines for backward letter, but not vice versa.

Just write it down: Similarity in the benefit from cognitive offloading in young and older adults

Past research conducted primarily in young adults has demonstrated the utility of cognitive offloading for benefitting performance of memory-based tasks, particularly at high memory loads. At the same time, older adults show declines in a variety of memory abilities, including subtle changes in short-term memory, suggesting that cognitive offloading could also benefit performance of memory-based tasks in this group. To this end, 94 participants (62 young adults, 32 older adults) were tested on a retrospective audiovisual short-term memory task in two blocked conditions. Offloading was permitted in the offloading choice condition but not in the internal memory condition. Performance was improved for both age groups in the offloading choice condition compared to the internal memory condition. Moreover, the choice to use the offloading strategy was similar across age groups at high memory loads, and use of the offloading strategy benefitted performance for young and older adults similarly. These data suggest that older adults can make effective use of cognitive offloading to rescue performance of memory-based activities, and invites future research on the benefits of cognitive offloading for older adults in other, more complex tasks where age-related memory impairment is expected to be more prominent.

Working Memory Training for Children Using the Adaptive, Self-Select, and Stepwise Approaches to Setting the Difficulty Level of Training Activities: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

A common yet untested assumption of cognitive training in children is that activities should be adaptive, with difficulty adjusted to the individual's performance in order to maximize improvements on untrained tasks (known as transfer). Working memory training provides the ideal testbed to systematically examine this assumption as it is one of the most widely studied domains in the cognitive training literature, and is critical for children's learning, including following instructions and reasoning.

OBJECTIVE

This trial aimed to examine children's outcomes of working memory training using adaptive, self-select (child selects difficulty level), and stepwise (difficulty level increases incrementally) approaches to setting the difficulty of training activities compared to an active control condition immediately and 6-month postintervention. While the aim is exploratory, we hypothesized that children allocated to a working memory training condition would show greater improvements: (1) on near transfer measures compared to intermediate and far transfer measures and (2) immediately postintervention compared to 6-month postintervention.

METHODS

This double-blinded, active-controlled, parallel-group randomized trial aimed to recruit 128 children aged 7 to 11 years from 1 metropolitan primary school in Melbourne, Australia. Following baseline testing, children were randomized into 1 of 4 conditions: adaptive, self-select, or stepwise working memory training, or active control. An experimental intervention embedded in Minecraft was developed for teachers to deliver in class over 2 consecutive weeks (10 × 20-minute sessions). The working memory training comprised 2 training activities with processing demands similar to daily activities: backward span and following instructions. The control comprised creative activities. Pre- and postintervention, children completed a set of working memory tests (near and intermediate transfer) and the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices (far transfer) to determine training outcomes, as well as motivation questionnaires to determine if motivations toward learning and the intervention were similar across conditions. Caregivers completed the ADHD-Rating Scale-5 to measure their child's attention (far transfer). Statistical analysis will include traditional null hypothesis significance testing and Bayesian methods to quantify evidence for both the null and alternative hypotheses.

RESULTS

Data collection concluded in December 2022. Data are currently being processed and analyzed.

CONCLUSIONS

This trial will determine whether the adaptive approach to setting the difficulty of training activities maximizes cognitive training outcomes for children. This trial has several strengths: it adopts best practices for cognitive training studies (design, methods, and analysis plan); uses a range of measures to detect discrete levels of transfer; has a 6-month postintervention assessment; is appropriately powered; and uses an experimental working memory training intervention based on our current understanding of the cognitive mechanisms of training. Findings will inform future research and design of cognitive training interventions and highlight the value of the evidence-based principles of cognitive training.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12621000990820; https://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12621000990820.aspx.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/47496.

A Slip Between the Brain and the Lip: Working Memory and Cognitive-Communication Disorders

The relationship between working memory and speech has been a topic of intense research interest and investigation for many years. Memory studies have found that the active processing of working memory is required for language comprehension and speech production. Though there are studies that discuss the capacity of working memory, the processing of verbal stimuli into verbal memory remains unclear. Therefore, it is essential to understand the functioning of the working memory and how it processes verbal information. As working memory is intricately linked with communication, any deficits in working memory could cause communication disorders. Also, the disruption in the storage and retrieval of verbal memory could cause a disturbance in the speech pattern. To this point, this review elaborates on the active processing of working memory and its role in communication. Further, by studying the deficits in working memory that could cause cognitive-communication disorders such as apraxia of speech, dementia, and dysarthria, this article highlights the importance of verbal memory in speech.

The Role of Working Memory in Early Literacy and Numeracy Skills in Kindergarten and First Grade

The working memory system supports learning processes such as acquiring new information and the development of new skills. Working memory has been found to be related to both early literacy and early numeracy in kindergarten and to linguistic and mathematical academic skills at older ages, but the contribution of each of the memory components at these ages is not yet clear. The purpose of this study is to examine the unique connections among the various systems of WM, early literacy, and early numeracy using various assessment tests of simple WM and complex WM, as well as a variety of tasks in math and language skills administered to the same 250 children in kindergarten and 150 children in first grade. Consistent with the predictions, significant relations among all components of memory and mathematics and language knowledge at both ages were found, although these connections were differential for the different types of tasks and memory systems. The connection of complex WM was stronger in its contribution and more significant in first grade in both mathematics and language domains. Complex WM resources were more important in early literacy at kindergarten age, while simple WM seems to be important in early numeracy. The theoretical and educational implications of these results are discussed accordingly.

A dual-process model for cognitive training

A key goal in cognitive training research is understanding whether cognitive training enhances general cognitive capacity or provides only task-specific improvements. Here, we developed a quantitative model for describing the temporal dynamics of these two processes. We analyzed data from 1300 children enrolled in an 8 week working memory training program that included 5 transfer test sessions. Factor analyses suggested two separate processes: an early task-specific improvement, accounting for 44% of the total increase, and a slower capacity improvement. A hidden Markov model was then applied to individual training data, revealing that the task-specific improvement plateaued on the third day of training on average. Thus, training is not only task specific or transferable but a combination of the two. The models provide methods for quantifying and separating these processes, which is crucial for studying the effects of cognitive training and relating these effects to neural correlates.

Cross-national harmonization of neurocognitive assessment across five sites in a global study

OBJECTIVE

Cross-national work on neurocognitive testing has been characterized by inconsistent findings, suggesting the need for improved harmonization. Here, we describe a prospective harmonization approach in an ongoing global collaborative study.

METHOD

Visuospatial N-Back, Tower of London (ToL), Stop Signal task (SST), Risk Aversion (RA), and Intertemporal Choice (ITC) tasks were administered to 221 individuals from Brazil, India, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the USA. Prospective harmonization methods were employed to ensure procedural similarity of task implementation and processing of derived task measures across sites. Generalized linear models tested for between-site differences controlling for sex, age, education, and socioeconomic status (SES). Associations with these covariates were also examined and tested for differences by site with site-by-covariate interactions.

RESULTS

The Netherlands site performed more accurately on N-Back and ToL than the other sites, except for the USA site on the N-Back. The Netherlands and the USA sites performed faster than the other three sites during the go events in the SST. Finally, the Netherlands site also exhibited a higher tolerance for delay discounting than other sites on the ITC, and the India site showed more risk aversion than other sites on the RA task. However, effect size differences across sites on the five tasks were generally small (i.e., partial eta-squared < 0.05) after dropping the Netherlands (on ToL, N-Back, ITC, and SST tasks) and India (on the RA task). Across tasks, regardless of site, the N-Back (sex, age, education, and SES), ToL (sex, age, and SES), SST (age), and ITC (SES) showed associations with covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

Four out of the five sites showed only small between-site differences for each task. Nevertheless, despite our extensive prospective harmonization steps, task score performance deviated from the other sites in the Netherlands site (on four tasks) and the India site (on one task). Because the procedural methods were standardized across sites, and our analyses were adjusted for covariates, the differences found in cognitive performance may indicate selection sampling bias due to unmeasured confounders. Future studies should follow similar cross-site prospective harmonization procedures when assessing neurocognition and consider measuring other possible confounding variables for additional statistical control. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Working memory training improves children's syntactic ability but not vice versa: A randomized control trial

We tested several hypotheses about the relation between syntax and working memory (WM). In a pretest/posttest randomized control trial, 104 native Cuban Spanish-speaking children (M_age = 7 years 2 months; 54 girls) took part in syntax training in their first language, syntax training in their second language, WM training, or no training (control). Compared with the control, children in the training conditions showed cognitive transfer from WM to syntax but not from syntax to WM. The result was most striking in the case of their first language, where WM training was as effective as language training in boosting syntactic performance. As well as establishing cognitive transfer at the group level, we also found that individual differences in WM performance, both at baseline and in training, predicted the extent to which children's syntax improved. The directionality of transfer, the group-level and individual-level results, established in the context of a randomized control design, all point to a strong causal role for domain-general cognition in the processes of language acquisition.

Cognitive skill learning in multiple sclerosis: A meaningful component of the neuropsychological profile

Cognitive skill learning (CSL) refers to the capacity to improve performance on specific cognitive operations through repeated practice. We hypothesized that high CSL aptitude may promote accumulation of cognitive reserve, and resiliency to cognitive decline, in people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Using an adaptive working memory training paradigm, we obtained CSL aptitude indices (amount of improvement on the training task over time) in MS patients for a single session of practice (25-30 min), and longer-term practice (twenty sessions). Neuropsychological performance was assessed with the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), and the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM). CSL aptitude measures were positively correlated with neuropsychological performance, and had high diagnostic accuracy for classifying cognitive impairment in MS, defined as 1.5 SD below the demographics-corrected normative mean of the SDMT. Positive relationships between CSL aptitude measures and neuropsychological performance tended to be more pronounced for individuals with high estimated cognitive reserve, suggesting that high CSL aptitude is a a factor that promotes the protective effects of cognitive reserve. Furthermore, regression analyses indicated that CSL aptitude is separable from baseline cognitive capacity. The findings suggest that CSL aptitude impacts the neuropsychological profile in MS, and may be a factor underlying variance in cognitive resiliency.

Training allows switching from limited-capacity manipulations to large-capacity perceptual processing

In contrast to perceptual tasks, which enable concurrent processing of many stimuli, working memory (WM) tasks have a very small capacity, limiting cognitive skills. Training on WM tasks often yields substantial improvement, suggesting that training might increase the general WM capacity. To understand the underlying processes, we trained a test group with a newly designed tone manipulation WM task and a control group with a challenging perceptual task of pitch pattern discrimination. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans confirmed that pretraining, manipulation was associated with a dorsal fronto-parietal WM network, while pitch comparison was associated with activation of ventral auditory regions. Training induced improvement in each group, which was limited to the trained task. Analyzing the behavior of the group trained with tone manipulation revealed that participants learned to replace active manipulation with a perceptual verification of the position of a single salient tone in the sequence presented as a tentative reply. Posttraining fMRI scans revealed modifications in ventral activation of both groups. Successful WMtrained participants learned to utilize auditory regions for the trained task. These observations suggest that the huge task-specific enhancement of WM capacity stems from a task-specific switch to perceptual routines, implemented in perceptual regions.

Exploring the relationships between visuospatial working memory, math, letter-sound knowledge, motor competence, and gender in first grade children: A correlational study

Introduction

Development of crucial skills accelerates at the start of formal schooling, although, more knowledge is needed about the relationships between such skills. The current study explored the relationships between visuospatial working memory, letter-sound knowledge, math competence and motor competence, as well as potential effects of gender.

Materials and methods

The sample consisted of 85 (42 girls) 6 to 7 years old first grade children, and was measured with a test battery consisting of tests designed for each skill domain.

Results

Results demonstrated weak to moderate statistically significant correlations between visuospatial working memory, letter-sound knowledge, math competence, with no statistically significant gender differences. Two motor tasks measuring manual dexterity, placing bricks and building bricks, showed a weak statistically significant correlation.

Discussion

We argue that the findings demonstrate the relationships between these skills are low to moderate in first grade. Furthermore, we argue that these skills ought to be trained deliberately. The potential role of visuospatial working memory in procurement of novel skills in early childhood ought to be explored further in future studies.

Perspectives on heterogeneity-informed cognitive training for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition, posing a severe threat to quality of life. Pharmacological therapies are the front-line treatment; however, their shortages encourage the development of alternative treatments for AD/HD. One promising method of developing alternative treatments is cognitive training (CT). A CT-based therapy was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, due to heterogeneity in AD/HD, a CT protocol is unlikely to provide a one-size-fits-all solution for all patients with AD/HD. Therefore, this article highlights key aspects that need to be considered to further develop CT protocols for AD/HD, regarding training content, timing, suitability, and delivery mode. The perspectives presented here contribute to optimizing CT as an alternative option for treating AD/HD.

Improving adaptive response to negative stimuli through non-emotional working memory training

People with high working memory (WM) capacity tend to respond proactively and experience a decrease in undesired emotions, implying the potential influence of WM training on emotional responses. Although training emotional WM could enhance emotional control, the training also improves emotional response itself. Thus, the far-transfer effects of non-emotional WM training on emotional responses remain an open question. In the present study, two experiments were conducted to detect these effects. The Preliminary experiment matched the expectations of the gains of the training tasks between the experimental and active control groups (n = 33). In Experiments 1 and 2, participants performed 7-day and 15-day training procedures, respectively. Results indicated that after a 7-day training, non-emotional WM training (n = 17) marginally reduced individuals' emotional responses compared with the active control group (n = 18); importantly, this improvement became significant after a 15-day training (n _{(WM training)} = 20, n _{(active control)} = 18). A combination analysis for Experiments 1 and 2 showed that training gains on WM performance were significantly related to reduced emotional responses (r = -0.359), indicating a dosage effect. Therefore, non-emotional WM training provides a safe and effective way to enhance adaptive emotional responses.

Tai Chi exercise improves working memory capacity and emotion regulation ability

Purpose

The study aimed to research the promoting effects of Tai Chi exercise on working memory capacity and emotional regulation ability among college students.

Methods

Fifty-five participants were recruited and randomly divided into the Tai Chi group and control group. The Tai Chi group had a 12-week Tai Chi training to implement intervention, while the control group performed non-cognitive traditional sports with the same exercise intensity as the Tai Chi group. The visual 2-back test of action pictures and the Geneva emotional picture system test were performed before and after the trial, which aimed to examine whether the action memory of Tai Chi training can improve individuals' working memory capacity and emotion regulation ability.

Results

After 12 weeks, a significant difference was observed in Accuracy Rate (AR) (F = 54.89, p ≤ 0.001) and Response Time (RT) (F = 99.45, p ≤ 0.001) of individuals' Visual Memory Capacity between the Tai Chi group and the control group. Significant effects in Time (F = 98.62, p ≤ 0.001), Group (F = 21.43, p ≤ 0.001), and Interaction (Groups × time; F = 50.81, p ≤ 0.001) on Accuracy Rate (AR) of the Visual Memory Capacity were observed. The same effect was observed again on the Response Time (RT) of the Visual Memory Capacity, Time (F = 67.21, p ≤ 0.001), Group (F = 45.68, p ≤ 0.001), Interaction (groups × time; F = 79.52, p ≤ 0.001). Post-hoc analysis showed that at the end of 12 weeks, the participants in the Tai Chi group had significantly higher Visual Memory Capacity than those in the control group (p < 0.05).After 12 weeks, valence difference (F = 11.49, p ≤ 0.001), arousal difference (F = 10.17, p ≤ 0.01), and dominance difference (F = 13.30, p ≤ 0.001) in the emotion response were significantly different between the control group and the Tai Chi group. The effect of valence differences in Time (F = 7.28, p < 0.01), Group (F = 4.16, p < 0.05), and Time*Group (F = 10.16, p < 0.01), respectively, was significant in the Tai Chi group after 12-week intervention. Post hoc analysis showed valence swings in the Tai Chi group were significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05); The effect of arousal difference in Time (F = 5.18, p < 0.05), Group (F = 7.26, p < 0.01), Time*Group (F = 4.23, p < 0.05), respectively, was significant in the Tai Chi group after 12-week intervention. Post hoc analysis showed arousal fluctuations in the Tai Chi group was significantly lower than that in the control group too (p < 0.01); As the same, the effect of dominance differences in Time (F = 7.92, p < 0.01), Group (F = 5.82 p < 0.05) and Time*Group (F = 10.26, p < 0.01), respectively was significant in the Tai Chi group. Dominance swings in the Tai Chi group were significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The data support our speculation that action memory training in Tai Chi exercise may improve individuals' working memory capacity, and then improve their emotion regulation ability, which has provided insightful information for customized exercise programs for emotion regulation in adolescents. Thus, we suggest those adolescents who are experiencing volatile moods and poor emotion regulation attend regular Tai Chi classes, which could contribute to their emotional health.

Emergent math difficulties among English learners: can the odds be reduced?

Solving word problems in mathematics presents difficulties for many English learners (ELs), including those who use Spanish as a home language. In the early stage of learning to solve mathematics word problems, some children, including ELs, experience difficulties. By English status, EL refers to those children whose home language was Spanish while in the process of developing English at school. Math difficulties (MD) refers to those children with low normative mathematical problem-solving scores in both English and Spanish. The purpose of this study was to determine those measures that increase the odds of identifying EL children with emergent MD. Elementary school children (grades 1, 2, and 3) were administered a battery of math, vocabulary, reading, and cognitive measures (short-term memory [STM], inhibition, working memory [WM]) in both Spanish (L1) and English (L2) in Year 1 and again one year later. Multilevel growth modeling compared MD children identified one year later who manifested MD to children who were average math achievers or poor math achievers across the two testing waves (year 1 and year 2). The results indicated that significant growth parameters (i.e., measures of estimation, WM) increased the odds of identifying emergent MD relative to children with Persistent math deficits and average achievers. The results were discussed in terms of a multidimensional model that taps domain-specific skills and general cognitive processes that increase the odds of identifying later math difficulties.

Why doesn't executive function training improve academic achievement? Rethinking individual differences, relevance, and engagement from a contextual framework

Performance on lab assessments of executive functions predicts academic achievement and other positive life outcomes. A primary goal of research on executive functions has been to design interventions that improve outcomes like academic achievement by improving executive functions. These interventions typically involve extensive practice on abstract lab-based tasks and lead to improvements on these practiced tasks. However, interventions rarely improve performance on non-practiced tasks and rarely benefit outcomes like academic achievement. Contemporary frameworks of executive function development suggest that executive functions develop and are engaged within personal, social, historical, and cultural contexts. Abstract lab-based tasks do not well-capture the real-world contexts that require executive functions and should not be expected to provide generalized benefits outside of the lab. We propose a perspective for understanding individual differences in performance on executive function assessments that focuses on contextual influences on executive functions. We extend this contextual approach to training executive function engagement, rather than training executive functions directly. First, interventions should incorporate task content that is contextually relevant to the targeted outcome. Second, interventions should encourage engaging executive functions through reinforcement and contextual relevance, which may better translate to real-world outcomes than training executive functions directly. While such individualized executive functions interventions do not address systemic factors that greatly impact outcomes like academic achievement, given the extensive resources devoted to improving executive functions, we hypothesize that interventions designed to encourage children's engagement of executive functions hold more promise for impacting real-world outcomes than interventions designed to improve executive function capacities.

Teacher perceptions of working memory and executive function improvements following school-day cognitive training

Considerable research has documented the impact of teacher perceptions on students’ academic-related outcomes (e.g., classroom performance). This body of literature clearly shows that teacher perceptions (resulting from direct interactions with students) can have both positive and negative effects with respect to student behaviors and experiences in the classroom. What remains unclear is whether teachers perceive changes that result from interventions administered outside of their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in teacher perceptions of working memory and executive function concerns (two important predictors of academic success) among students who participated in a computerized cognitive training program designed to enhance working memory skills. The current results indicate that teachers perceived fewer concerns following students’ participation in the training; this outcome was supplemented with significant improvements in the students’ working memory capabilities following the training program. These findings have important implications given the literature highlighting the relation between teacher perceptions and student outcomes as a function of a school-based computerized cognitive training intervention.

Cognitive and structural predictors of novel task learning, and contextual predictors of time series of daily task performance during the learning period

Investigation into methods of addressing cognitive loss exhibited later in life is of paramount importance to the field of cognitive aging. The field continues to make significant strides in designing efficacious cognitive interventions to mitigate cognitive decline, and the very act of learning a demanding task has been implicated as a potential mechanism of augmenting cognition in both the field of cognitive intervention and studies of cognitive reserve. The present study examines individual-level predictors of complex skill learning and day-to-day performance on a gamified working memory updating task, the BirdWatch Game, intended for use as a cognitive intervention tool in older adults. A measure of verbal episodic memory and the volume of a brain region involved in verbal working memory and cognitive control (the left inferior frontal gyrus) were identified as predictors of learning rates on the BirdWatch Game. These two neuro-cognitive measures were more predictive of learning when considered in conjunction than when considered separately, indicating a complementary effect. Additionally, auto-regressive time series forecasting analyses were able to identify meaningful daily predictors (that is, mood, stress, busyness, and hours of sleep) of performance-over-time on the BirdWatch Game in 50% of cases, with the specific pattern of contextual influences on performance being highly idiosyncratic between participants. These results highlight the specific contribution of language processing and cognitive control abilities to the learning of the novel task examined in this study, as well as the variability of subject-level influences on task performance during task learning.

PROTOCOL: School-based language, math, and reading interventions for executive functions in children and adolescents: A systematic review

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review. Our primary objective for this systematic review is to examine if preschool and school-based interventions aimed at improving language, literacy, and/or mathematical skills increase children's and adolescents' executive functions. As a secondary objective, we will examine how the effects of language, literacy, and mathematics interventions on executive functions are moderated by the subject of the intervention, child age or grade, the type of EF measured, and the at-risk status of participants. We will also explore how the effects are moderated by other study characteristics, and estimate the effects of the included interventions on language, literacy, and mathematical skills.

Quantifying ADHD Symptoms in Open-Ended Everyday Life Contexts With a New Virtual Reality Task

OBJECTIVE

To quantify goal-directed behavior and ADHD symptoms in naturalistic conditions, we developed a virtual reality task, EPELI (Executive Performance in Everyday LIving), and tested its predictive, discriminant and concurrent validity.

METHOD

We collected EPELI data, conventional neuropsychological task data, and parent-ratings of executive problems and symptoms in 38 ADHD children and 38 typically developing controls.

RESULTS

EPELI showed predictive validity as the ADHD group exhibited higher percentage of irrelevant actions reflecting lower attentional-executive efficacy and more controller movements and total game actions, both indicative of hyperactivity-impulsivity. Further, the five combined EPELI measures showed excellent discriminant validity (area under curve 88 %), while the correlations of the EPELI efficacy measure with parent-rated executive problems (r = .57) and ADHD symptoms (r = .55) pointed to its concurrent validity.

CONCLUSION

We provide a proof-of-concept validation for a new virtual reality tool for ecologically valid assessment of ADHD symptoms.

Working Memory-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation: Spoken Language of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children

This research examined the effect of the Working Memory-based Cognitive Rehabilitation (WMCR) intervention on the spoken language development of deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. In this clinical trial study, 28 DHH children aged between 5 and 6 years were selected by random sampling method. The participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in the WMCR intervention involving 11 sessions. All participants were assessed pre-and postintervention. Data were collected by the Newsha Development Scale and analyzed through MANCOVA. The results revealed a significant difference between the scores of the receptive and expressive language of the experimental group that were exposed to the WMCR intervention compared with the control group. The receptive and expressive language skills of the experimental group indicated a significant improvement after the intervention. Therefore, the WMCR intervention is an effective method that affects the spoken language skills of DHH children. These findings have critical implications for teachers, parents, and therapists in supporting DHH young children to develop their language skills.

Digital cognitive training in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a study protocol of a randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders and is a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning. Children with ADHD are developmentally vulnerable, with the disorder linked to emotional regulation difficulties, behavioural disturbances, as well as academic challenges. Emerging evidence suggests that children with ADHD may benefit from cognitive training interventions, including those focused on attention. This study aims to assess the immediate and long-term efficacy of an attention training intervention in children with ADHD.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This study is a preregistered, parallel, double blind, randomised controlled trial. Participants will comprise 104 children with a diagnosis of ADHD aged 5-8 years 11 months. Participants will be randomly allocated to either an adaptive, digital game-based (1) attention training programme (intervention) or (2) a numeracy programme (control). Both programmes will be delivered on a touchscreen tablet, and children will complete five 20 min sessions per week for a 5-week period at home (25 sessions in total). Assessments of the primary outcome (ie, attention and inhibitory control) and secondary outcomes (ie, selective attention, interference control, sustained attention, inhibition, behavioural attention, impairment in everyday functioning, working memory and executive functioning) will occur at preintervention, immediately postintervention and at 3-month follow-up. Multivariate linear regression will be employed to examine primary and secondary outcomes. The data analyst will be blinded to group membership.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval has been obtained from the Monash University HREC (20495). Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, media outlets, the internet and various community/stakeholder activities.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN12620000964910, UTN U1111-1250-2620.

A Short and Engaging Adaptive Working-Memory Intervention for Children with Developmental Language Disorder: Effects on Language and Working Memory

Recent research has suggested that working-memory training interventions may benefit children with developmental language disorder (DLD). The current study investigated a short and engaging adaptive working-memory intervention that targeted executive skills and aimed to improve both language comprehension and working-memory abilities in children with DLD. Forty-seven 6- to 10-year-old children with DLD were randomly allocated to an executive working-memory training intervention (n = 24) or an active control group (n = 23). A pre-test/intervention/post-test/9-month-follow-up design was used. Outcome measures included assessments of language (to evaluate far transfer of the training) and working memory (to evaluate near transfer of the training). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses controlling for pre-intervention performance and age found the group to be a significant predictor of sentence comprehension and of performance on six untrained working-memory measures at post-intervention and 9-month follow-up. Children in the intervention group showed significantly higher language comprehension and working-memory scores at both time points than children in the active control group. The intervention programme showed the potential to improve working memory and language comprehension in children with DLD and demonstrated several advantages: it involved short sessions over a short period, caused little disruption in the school day, and was enjoyed by children.

Genetic associations with learning over 100 days of practice

Cognitive performance is both heritable and sensitive to environmental inputs and sustained practice over time. However, it is currently unclear how genetic effects on cognitive performance change over the course of learning. We examine how polygenic scores (PGS) created from genome-wide association studies of educational attainment and cognitive performance are related to improvements in performance across nine cognitive tests (measuring perceptual speed, working memory, and episodic memory) administered to 131 adults (N = 51, ages = 20-31, and N = 80, ages = 65-80 years) repeatedly across 100 days. We observe that PGS associations with performance on a given task can change over the course of learning, with the specific pattern of change in associations differing across tasks. PGS correlations with pre-test to post-test scores may mask variability in how soon learning occurs over the course of practice. The associations between PGS and learning do not appear to simply reconstitute patterns of association between baseline performance and subsequent learning. Associations involving PGSs, however, were small with large confidence intervals. Intensive longitudinal research such as that described here may be of substantial value for clarifying the genetics of learning when implemented as far larger scale.

Effects of Multisession Prefrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Long-term Memory and Working Memory in Older Adults

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive form of electrical brain stimulation popularly used to augment the effects of working memory (WM) training. Although success has been mixed, some studies report enhancements in WM performance persisting days, weeks, or even months that are actually more reminiscent of consolidation effects typically observed in the long-term memory (LTM) domain, rather than WM improvements per se. Although tDCS has been often reported to enhance both WM and LTM, these effects have never been directly compared within the same study. However, given their considerable neural and behavioral overlap, this is a timely comparison to make. This study reports results from a multisession intervention in older adults comparing active and sham tDCS over the left dorsolateral pFC during training on both an n-back WM task and a word learning LTM task. We found strong and robust effects on LTM, but mixed effects on WM that only emerged for those with lower baseline ability. Importantly, mediation analyses showed an indirect effect of tDCS on WM that was mediated by improvements in consolidation. We conclude that tDCS over the left dorsolateral pFC can be used as an effective intervention to foster long-term learning and memory consolidation in aging, which can manifest in performance improvements across multiple memory domains.

The neural correlates of working memory training in typically developing children

Working memory training improves children's cognitive performance on untrained tasks; however, little is known about the underlying neural mechanisms. This was investigated in 32 typically developing children aged 10-14 years (19 girls and 13 boys) using a randomized controlled design and multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (Devon, UK; 2015-2016). Training improved working memory performance and increased intrinsic functional connectivity between the bilateral intraparietal sulci. Furthermore, improvements in working memory were associated with greater recruitment of the left middle frontal gyrus on a complex span task. Repeated engagement of fronto-parietal regions during training may increase their activity and functional connectivity over time, affording greater working memory performance. The plausibility of generalizable cognitive benefits from a neurobiological perspective and implications for neurodevelopmental theory are discussed.

Effects of Working Memory Training on Children’s Memory and Academic Performance: the Role of Training Task Features and Trainee’s Characteristics

Learning and academic performance are explained mainly by basic limited-capacity processes, most notably by working memory (WM). Consequently, training WM has been considered a promising approach to fostering these abilities. However, school-based investigations are rare. This study examined the effects of training task features and trainees’ characteristics on transfer to cognitive and academic measures. Eighty-six typically developing 8–12-year-old children completed 6 weeks of either WM training with n-back and complex span tasks or a control training with perceptual-matching tasks in a regular school setting. The study also assessed some personal variables of the children, such as neuroticism, conscientiousness, joy of learning, and power of endurance. The WM training group showed increased WM and math performance compared to the control group. Also, there was a trend toward some improvements in vocabulary after WM training, and overall improvements after both trainings were observed in fluid intelligence and reading. Analyses of individual differences in the WM training group indicated increased training performance in relation to emotional stability, conscientiousness, power of endurance, as well as teacher-reported joy of learning and social integration of participants. Thus, the results indicate the potential of WM training to improve WM capacity and mathematical skills and reveal the impact of regulative, motivational, and social factors on cognitive training performance.

Mental-Imagery-Based Mnemonic Training: A New Kind of Cognitive Training

We investigated the immediate and maintenance effects of mental-imagery-based mnemonic training on improving youths’ working memory, long-term memory, arithmetic and spatial abilities, and fluid intelligence. In Experiment 1, 26 Chinese participants (15 boys, 11 girls) aged 10–16 years were divided into an experimental group that received 8 days of mental-imagery-based mnemonic training and a no-contact control group. Participants completed pre-, post-, and three follow-up tests (3, 6, and 12 months after the pre-test). In Experiment 2, 54 Chinese children (28 boys, 26 girls), all 12 years old, were divided into experimental and control groups. Participants completed pre-, post-, and follow-up tests (three months after the pre-test). Results showed that the training significantly affected long-term memory-related task performance but no effects were observed on working memory, arithmetic or spatial ability, or fluid intelligence-related tasks. Moreover, the effect of the training on long-term memory lasted up to one year; the more frequently the training was used, the more effective it was. A content analysis of the feedback submitted by parents of participants in Experiment 2 three months after the training showed that the children used the strategy more for memorizing content such as Chinese and English, as well as for musical scores. Furthermore, there was also the possibility that the training improved abilities and academic performance such as concentration and math performance. Our results provide a basis for the further exploration of mental-imagery-based mnemonic training as a novel training modality.