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Verty LV, Mellah S, Maltezos S, Boujut A, Lussier M, Bherer L, Belleville S. Youth-like brain activation linked with greater cognitive training gains in older adults: Insights from the ACTOP study. Cortex 2024; 176:221-233. [PMID: 38805784 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between inter-individual neurofunctional differences in older adults and cognitive training efficacy, with a specific focus on the association between youth-like task-related brain activation and improvements in working memory (WM) training. The data is part of the Attentional Control Training for Older People (ACTOP) study, 30 older adults completed 12 half-hour WM training sessions. The WM performance slope, assessed at the conclusion of sessions 1 through 6 and sessions 7 to 12, determined early- and late-stage training gains, respectively. Transfer measures were taken before (PRE), midway (MID), and after (POST) training, and the differences in MID-PRE and POST-MID on transfer tasks were used to determine early- and late-stage transfer effects, respectively. The Goodness of Fit (GOF) metric was used to quantify the similarity between each older adult's activation pattern, as measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), to that of a group of younger adults. GOF scores were calculated for activation during low-load (1-0back) and high-load (2-0back) N-back tasks. The results indicated that larger GOF scores in the low-load condition were associated with greater training gains in both the early and late learning stages, and that larger GOF scores in the high-load condition were associated with greater training gains during the late-stage. These findings suggest that a youth-like brain activation pattern in older adults is associated with greater cognitive training benefits, underscoring the role of inter-individual neurofunctional differences to account for variations in training outcomes among older adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03532113; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03532113.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn Valeyry Verty
- Research Center, Institut Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Samira Mellah
- Research Center, Institut Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Samantha Maltezos
- Research Center, Institut Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Arnaud Boujut
- Research Center, Institut Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Université de Limoges, HAVAE - UR20217, Limoges, France; 3iL Ingénieurs, Limoges, France
| | - Maxime Lussier
- Research Center, Institut Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Louis Bherer
- Research Center, Institut Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Belleville
- Research Center, Institut Universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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Dimitriadis SI, Castells-Sánchez A, Roig-Coll F, Dacosta-Aguayo R, Lamonja-Vicente N, Torán-Monserrat P, García-Molina A, Monte-Rubio G, Stillman C, Perera-Lluna A, Mataró M. Intrinsic functional brain connectivity changes following aerobic exercise, computerized cognitive training, and their combination in physically inactive healthy late-middle-aged adults: the Projecte Moviment. GeroScience 2024; 46:573-596. [PMID: 37872293 PMCID: PMC10828336 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00946-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Lifestyle interventions have positive neuroprotective effects in aging. However, there are still open questions about how changes in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) contribute to cognitive improvements. The Projecte Moviment is a 12-week randomized controlled trial of a multimodal data acquisition protocol that investigated the effects of aerobic exercise (AE), computerized cognitive training (CCT), and their combination (COMB). An initial list of 109 participants was recruited from which a total of 82 participants (62% female; age = 58.38 ± 5.47) finished the intervention with a level of adherence > 80%. Only in the COMB group, we revealed an extended network of 33 connections that involved an increased and decreased rsFC within and between the aDMN/pDMN and a reduced rsFC between the bilateral supplementary motor areas and the right thalamus. No global and especially local rsFC changes due to any intervention mediated the cognitive benefits detected in the AE and COMB groups. Projecte Moviment provides evidence of the clinical relevance of lifestyle interventions and the potential benefits when combining them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stavros I Dimitriadis
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig Vall d'Hebron 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institut de Neurociències, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Alba Castells-Sánchez
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig Vall d'Hebron 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociències, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesca Roig-Coll
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig Vall d'Hebron 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociències, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosalía Dacosta-Aguayo
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig Vall d'Hebron 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
- Unitat de Suport a La Recerca Metropolitana Nord, Fundació Institut Universitari Per a La Recerca a L'Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol I Gurina, Mataró, Spain
- Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de La Salut Germans Trias I Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
| | - Noemí Lamonja-Vicente
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig Vall d'Hebron 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociències, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Unitat de Suport a La Recerca Metropolitana Nord, Fundació Institut Universitari Per a La Recerca a L'Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol I Gurina, Mataró, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Pere Torán-Monserrat
- Unitat de Suport a La Recerca Metropolitana Nord, Fundació Institut Universitari Per a La Recerca a L'Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol I Gurina, Mataró, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
| | - Alberto García-Molina
- Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de La Salut Germans Trias I Pujol (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
- Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Badalona, Spain
| | - Gemma Monte-Rubio
- Centre for Comparative Medicine and Bioimage (CMCiB), Germans Trias I Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Spain
| | - Chelsea Stillman
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Alexandre Perera-Lluna
- B2SLab, Departament d'Enginyeria de Sistemes, CIBER-BBN, Automàtica I Informàtica Industrial, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, 08950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Mataró
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Passeig Vall d'Hebron 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institut de Neurociències, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain.
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Bruno JL, Shaw JS, Hosseini SMH. Toward Personalized Cognitive Training in Older Adults: A Pilot Investigation of the Effects of Baseline Performance and Age on Cognitive Training Outcomes. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 97:327-343. [PMID: 38043011 PMCID: PMC10984557 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive training holds potential as a non-pharmacological intervention to decrease cognitive symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), but more research is needed to understand individual differences that may predict maximal training benefits. OBJECTIVE We conducted a pilot study using a six-month training regimen in healthy aging adults with no cognitive decline. We investigated the effects of baseline performance and age on training and transfer improvements. METHODS Out of 43 participants aged 65-84 years, 31 successfully completed cognitive training (BrainHQ) in one of three cognitive domains: processing speed (N = 13), inhibitory control (N = 9), or episodic memory (N = 9). We used standardized assessments to measure baseline performance and transfer effects. RESULTS All 31 participants improved on the cognitive training regimen and age was positively associated with training improvement (p = 0.039). The processing speed group improved significantly across many near- and far-transfer tasks. In the inhibitory control group, individuals with lower baseline performance improved more on inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility tasks. In the episodic memory group, older individuals improved most on a memory task while younger individuals improved most on an executive function far-transfer task. CONCLUSIONS Individual differences are predictive of cognitive training gains, and the impact of individual differences on training improvements is specific to the domain of training. We provide initial insight regarding how non-pharmacological interventions can be optimized to combat the onset of cognitive decline in older adults. With future research this work can inform the design of effective cognitive interventions for delaying cognitive decline in preclinical AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Bruno
- Computational Brain Research and Intervention (C-Brain) Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jacob S Shaw
- Computational Brain Research and Intervention (C-Brain) Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Current affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - S M Hadi Hosseini
- Computational Brain Research and Intervention (C-Brain) Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Zuber S, Joly-Burra E, Mahy CEV, Loaiza V, Kliegel M. Are facet-specific task trainings efficient in improving children's executive functions and why (they might not be)? A multi-facet latent change score approach. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 227:105602. [PMID: 36512920 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
It currently remains unclear how facet-specific trainings of three core modules of executive function (EF; updating, switching, and inhibition) directly compare regarding efficacy, whether improvements on trained tasks transfer to nontrained EF tasks, and which factors predict children's improvements. The current study systematically investigated three separate EF trainings in 6- to 11-year-old children (N = 229) using EF-specific trainings that were similar in structure, design, and intensity. Children participated in pre- and posttest assessments of the three EFs and were randomly allocated to one of three EF trainings or to an active or passive control group. Multivariate latent change score models revealed that only the updating group showed training-specific improvements in task performance that were larger compared with active controls as well as passive controls. In contrast, there were no training-specific benefits of training switching or inhibition. Latent changes in the three EF tasks were largely independent, and there was no evidence of transfer effects to nontrained EF tasks. Lower baseline performance and older age predicted larger changes in EF performance. These seemingly opposing effects support compensation accounts as well as developmental theories of EF, and they highlight the importance of simultaneously accounting for multiple predictors within one model. In line with recent theoretical proposals of EF development, we provide new systematic evidence that questions whether modular task trainings represent an efficient approach to improve performance in narrow or in broader indicators of EF. Thereby, this evidence ultimately highlights the need for more comprehensive assessments of EF and, subsequently, the development of new training approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sascha Zuber
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland; Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health, University of Victoria, British Columbia V8N 5M8, Canada; Swiss National Centre of Competences in Research LIVES-Overcoming vulnerability: Life course perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Emilie Joly-Burra
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competences in Research LIVES-Overcoming vulnerability: Life course perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland; Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Caitlin E V Mahy
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Vanessa Loaiza
- Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Matthias Kliegel
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competences in Research LIVES-Overcoming vulnerability: Life course perspectives, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland; Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland
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Ging-Jehli NR, Kraemer HC, Eugene Arnold L, Roley-Roberts ME, deBeus R. Cognitive markers for efficacy of neurofeedback for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder - personalized medicine using computational psychiatry in a randomized clinical trial. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2023; 45:118-131. [PMID: 37157126 PMCID: PMC10515439 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2023.2206637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exploring whether cognitive components (identified by baseline cognitive testing and computational modeling) moderate clinical outcome of neurofeedback (NF) for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHOD 142 children (aged 7-10) with ADHD were randomly assigned to either NF (n = 84) or control treatment (n = 58) in a double-blind clinical trial (NCT02251743). The NF group received live, self-controlled downtraining of electroencephalographic theta/beta ratio power. The control group received identical-appearing reinforcement from prerecorded electroencephalograms from other children. 133 (78 NF, 55 control) children had cognitive processing measured at baseline with the Integrated Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA2-CPT) and were included in this analysis. A diffusion decision model applied to the IVA2-CPT data quantified two latent cognitive components deficient in ADHD: drift rate and drift bias, indexing efficiency and context sensitivity of cognitive processes involving information integration. We explored whether these cognitive components moderated the improvement in parent- and teacher-rated inattention symptoms from baseline to treatment end (primary clinical outcome). RESULTS Baseline cognitive components reflecting information integration (drift rate, drift bias) moderated the improvement in inattention due to NF vs. control treatment (p = 0.006). Specifically, those with either the most or least severe deficits in these components showed more improvement in parent- and teacher-rated inattention when assigned to NF (Cohen's d = 0.59) than when assigned to control (Cohen's d = -0.21). CONCLUSIONS Pre-treatment cognitive testing with computational modeling identified children who benefitted more from neurofeedback than control treatment for ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja R. Ging-Jehli
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University,
Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Cognitive, Linguistic & Psychological
Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Helena C. Kraemer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford
University School of Medicine, Cupertino, CA 95014, USA
| | - L. Eugene Arnold
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio
State University; Nisonger Center UCEDD, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | | | - Roger deBeus
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at
Asheville, Asheville, NC 28801, USA
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Working memory training improves children's syntactic ability but not vice versa: A randomized control trial. J Exp Child Psychol 2023; 227:105593. [PMID: 36521202 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2022.105593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
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 (Mage = 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.
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Ben Izhak S, Lavidor M. Strategy and Core Cognitive Training Effects on Working Memory Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2023.2172413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shachar Ben Izhak
- Department of Psychology, and the Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University
| | - Michal Lavidor
- Department of Psychology, and the Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University
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Outcomes of a computer-based cognitive training (CoRe) in early phases of cognitive decline: a data-driven cluster analysis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2175. [PMID: 36750612 PMCID: PMC9905613 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26924-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to identify clusters of cognitive profiles as well as to explore the effects of these clusters on demographic/individual characteristics and on improvements after a computer-based cognitive training (CCT) in early cognitive impairment. Fifty-seven subjects underwent to an adaptive CCT for 3 weeks (4 individual face-to-face sessions/week of 45 min) and were evaluated at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and after 6 (T2) and 12 (T3) months. Clusters of cognitive profiles were explored with k-means analysis. The analysis revealed two clusters, which were composed by 27 and 30 patients characterized by lower (Cluster 1) and higher (Cluster 2) cognitive functioning. At T1, cognitive performance improved in both groups, but Cluster 1 gained more benefits in global cognitive functioning than Cluster 2. However, at T3, Cluster 2 remained stable in its clinical condition, whereas Cluster 1 showed a pronounced worsening. In conclusion, Cluster 1 profile was associated with a more marked but also short-lasting responsiveness to CCT, whereas patients fitting with Cluster 2 characteristics seemed to obtain more CCT benefits in terms of stability or even delay of cognitive/functional decline. These findings may have relevant implications in informing the timing and modality of delivery of CCT.
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Falkenreck JM, Kunkler MC, Ophey A, Weigert H, Friese A, Jahr P, Nelles G, Kalbe E, Polidori MC. Effects of the Multicomponent Cognitive Training Program BrainProtect in Cognitively Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 94:1013-1034. [PMID: 37393493 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive integrity is a fundamental driver of health. The exact structure of strategies against cognitive impairment is still under debate. OBJECTIVE To compare the short-term effects of a multicomponent cognitive training (BrainProtect) with those of general health counseling (GHC) on cognitive abilities and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in healthy adults in Germany. METHODS In this parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT), 132 eligible cognitively healthy adults (age ≥50 years, Beck Depression Inventory ≤9/63; Montreal Cognitive Assessment ≥26/30) were randomized to either GHC (N = 72) or to intervention with BrainProtect (intervention group, IG; N = 60). IG participants received 8 weekly sessions of 90 min of the group-based BrainProtect program focusing on executive functions, concentration, learning, perception, and imagination, plus nutritional and physical exercise units. Before and after intervention, all participants underwent neuropsychological testing and HRQoL evaluation, blinded for pretest. RESULTS No significant training effect was observed for the primary endpoint of global cognition as assessed by CERAD-Plus-z Total Score (p = 0.113; ηp2 = 0.023). Improvements in several cognitive subtests were shown in the IG (N = 53) compared to the GHC (N = 62) without adverse events. Differences reached significance for verbal fluency (p = 0.021), visual memory (p = 0.013), visuo-constructive functions (p = 0.034), and HRQoL (p = 0.009). Significance was lost after adjustment, though several changes were clinically relevant. CONCLUSION BrainProtect did not significantly impact global cognition in this RCT. Nevertheless, the results of some outcomes indicate clinically meaningful changes, so that a strengthening of the cognitive performance by BrainProtect cannot be excluded. Further studies with larger sample size are needed to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Maria Falkenreck
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michelle Celine Kunkler
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anja Ophey
- Department of Medical Psychology ∣ Neuropsychology and Gender Studies, Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Intervention (CeNDI), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hannah Weigert
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Elke Kalbe
- Department of Medical Psychology ∣ Neuropsychology and Gender Studies, Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Intervention (CeNDI), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - M Cristina Polidori
- Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- CECAD, University of cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Downey R, Bherer L, Pothier K, Vrinceanu T, Intzandt B, Berryman N, Lussier M, Vincent T, Karelis AD, Nigam A, Vu TTM, Bosquet L, Li KZH. Multiple routes to help you roam: A comparison of training interventions to improve cognitive-motor dual-tasking in healthy older adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:710958. [PMID: 36408116 PMCID: PMC9670126 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.710958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive-motor dual-tasking is a complex activity that predicts falls risk and cognitive impairment in older adults. Cognitive and physical training can both lead to improvements in dual-tasking; however, less is known about what mechanisms underlie these changes. To investigate this, 33 healthy older adults were randomized to one of three training arms: Executive function (EF; n = 10), Aerobic Exercise (AE; n = 10), Gross Motor Abilities (GMA; n = 13) over 12 weeks (1 h, 3×/week). Single and dual-task performance (gait speed, m/s; cognitive accuracy, %) was evaluated before and after training, using the 2-back as concurrent cognitive load. Training arms were designed to improve cognitive and motor functioning, through different mechanisms (i.e., executive functioning – EF, cardiorespiratory fitness – CRF, and energy cost of walking – ECW). Compared to baseline, we observed few changes in dual-task gait speed following training (small effect). However, dual-task cognitive accuracy improved significantly, becoming facilitated by walking (large effect). There were no differences in the magnitude of improvements across training arms. We also found that older adults with lower cognitive ability (i.e., MoCA score < 26; n = 14) improved more on the dual-task cognitive accuracy following training, compared to older adults with higher cognitive ability (i.e., MoCA ≥26; n = 18). Taken together, the results suggest that regardless of the type of intervention, training appears to strengthen cognitive efficiency during dual-tasking, particularly for older adults with lower baseline cognitive status. These gains appear to occur via different mechanisms depending on the form of intervention. Implications of this research are paramount, as we demonstrate multiple routes for improving cognitive-motor dual-tasking in older adults, which may help reduce risk of cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Downey
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Rachel Downey, ; Karen Z. H. Li
| | - Louis Bherer
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut de cardiologie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Kristell Pothier
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Psychologie des Ages de la Vie et Adaptation, University of Tours, Tours, France
| | - Tudor Vrinceanu
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut de cardiologie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Brittany Intzandt
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut de cardiologie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Nicolas Berryman
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département des sciences de l’activité physique, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Maxime Lussier
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Thomas Vincent
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut de cardiologie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Antony D. Karelis
- Département des sciences de l’activité physique, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Anil Nigam
- Département de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l’Institut de cardiologie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Laurent Bosquet
- Faculté des sciences du sport, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Karen Z. H. Li
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Rachel Downey, ; Karen Z. H. Li
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11
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Belleville S, Cloutier S, Mellah S, Willis S, Vellas B, Andrieu S, Coley N, Ngandu T. Is more always better? Dose effect in a multidomain intervention in older adults at risk of dementia. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 18:2140-2150. [PMID: 35049127 PMCID: PMC9786573 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known regarding the dose-response function in multidomain interventions for dementia prevention. METHOD The Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial is a 3-year randomized controlled trial comprising cognitive training, physical activity, nutrition, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for at-risk older adults. The dose delivered (number of sessions attended) was modeled against global cognition, memory, and fluency in 749 participants. Interaction effects were assessed for age, sex, education, dementia score (CAIDE), frailty score, and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 status. RESULTS The dose-response models were non-linear functions indicating benefits up to about 12 to 14 training hours or 15 to 20 multidomain sessions followed by a plateau. Participants who benefited from a higher dose included women, younger participants, frail individuals, and those with lower education or lower risk of dementia. DISCUSSION The non-linear function indicates that a higher dose is not necessarily better in multidomain interventions. The optimal dose was about half of the potentially available sessions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvie Belleville
- Research CenterInstitut Universitaire de gériatrie de MontréalMontrealQuebecCanada,Psychology departmentFaculty of Arts and ScienceUniversité de MontréalMontrealCanada
| | - Simon Cloutier
- Research CenterInstitut Universitaire de gériatrie de MontréalMontrealQuebecCanada,Psychology departmentFaculty of Arts and ScienceUniversité de MontréalMontrealCanada
| | - Samira Mellah
- Research CenterInstitut Universitaire de gériatrie de MontréalMontrealQuebecCanada
| | - Sherry Willis
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Bruno Vellas
- Gérontopôle de Toulouse, CHU de ToulouseToulouseFrance,Center for Epidemiology and Research in Population health (CERPOP)University of ToulouseToulouseFrance,INSERM UMR1295UPSToulouseFrance
| | - Sandrine Andrieu
- Center for Epidemiology and Research in Population health (CERPOP)University of ToulouseToulouseFrance,INSERM UMR1295UPSToulouseFrance,Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Public HealthToulouse University HospitalToulouseFrance
| | - Nicola Coley
- Center for Epidemiology and Research in Population health (CERPOP)University of ToulouseToulouseFrance,INSERM UMR1295UPSToulouseFrance,Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Public HealthToulouse University HospitalToulouseFrance
| | - Tiia Ngandu
- Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)HelsinkiFinland
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12
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Belleville S, Cuesta M, Bieler-Aeschlimann M, Giacomino K, Widmer A, Mittaz Hager AG, Perez-Marcos D, Cardin S, Boller B, Bier N, Aubertin-Leheudre M, Bherer L, Berryman N, Agrigoroaei S, Demonet JF. Pre-frail older adults show improved cognition with StayFitLonger computerized home-based training: a randomized controlled trial. GeroScience 2022; 45:811-822. [PMID: 36266559 PMCID: PMC9589849 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-022-00674-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Multidomain interventions have shown tremendous potential for improving cognition in older adults. It is unclear if multidomain interventions can be delivered remotely and whether remote intervention is beneficial for older adults who are vulnerable or at risk of cognitive decline. In a 26-week multi-site, home-based, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, 120 cognitively healthy older adults (75 robust, 45 pre-frail; age range = 60-94) recruited from Switzerland, Canada, and Belgium were randomized to receive either the StayFitLonger (SFL) computerized multidomain training program or an active control intervention. Delivered on tablets, the SFL intervention combined adapted physical exercises (strength, balance, and mobility), cognitive training (divided attention, problem solving, and memory), opportunities for social and contributive interactions, and psychoeducation. The active control intervention provided basic mobilization exercises and access to video games. Cognitive outcomes were global cognition (Z-scores of attention, verbal fluency, and episodic memory for nondemented older adults; ZAVEN), memory, executive function, and processing speed. Linear mixed model analyses indicated improved performance on the ZAVEN global cognition score in the SFL group but not in the active control group. Stratified analyses by frailty status revealed improved ZAVEN global cognition and processing speed scores following SFL in the pre-frail group but not in the robust group. Overall, the study indicates that a computerized program providing a multidomain intervention at home can improve cognition in older adults. Importantly, pre-frail individuals, who are at higher risk of cognitive decline, seem to benefit more from the intervention. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT037519 Registered on January 22, 2020-Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04237519 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvie Belleville
- Research Centre, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-L'Île-de-Montréal, 4565, Queen-Mary Road, Montreal, Quebec, H3W 1W5, Canada. .,Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
| | - M. Cuesta
- Research Centre, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-L’Île-de-Montréal, 4565, Queen-Mary Road, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1W5 Canada
| | - M. Bieler-Aeschlimann
- Leenaards Memory Centre and Infections Disease Service, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland ,MindMaze, SA, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - K. Giacomino
- HES-SO Valais-Wallis, School of Health Sciences, Loèche-les-Bains, Switzerland
| | - A. Widmer
- HES-SO Valais-Wallis, School of Management, Sierre, Switzerland
| | - A. G. Mittaz Hager
- HES-SO Valais-Wallis, School of Health Sciences, Loèche-les-Bains, Switzerland
| | | | | | - B. Boller
- Research Centre, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-L’Île-de-Montréal, 4565, Queen-Mary Road, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1W5 Canada ,Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivieres, Canada
| | - N. Bier
- Research Centre, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-L’Île-de-Montréal, 4565, Queen-Mary Road, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1W5 Canada ,Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - M. Aubertin-Leheudre
- Research Centre, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-L’Île-de-Montréal, 4565, Queen-Mary Road, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1W5 Canada ,Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - L. Bherer
- Research Centre, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-L’Île-de-Montréal, 4565, Queen-Mary Road, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1W5 Canada ,Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada ,Montréal Heart Institute, Montreal, Canada
| | - N. Berryman
- Research Centre, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-L’Île-de-Montréal, 4565, Queen-Mary Road, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1W5 Canada ,Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - S. Agrigoroaei
- Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - J. F. Demonet
- Leenaards Memory Centre and Infections Disease Service, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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13
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Training attentive individuation leads to visuo-spatial working memory improvement in low-performing older adults: An online study. Atten Percept Psychophys 2022; 84:2507-2518. [PMID: 36192602 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-022-02580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive decrements are typical of physiological aging. Among these age-related cognitive changes, visuo-spatial working memory (vWM) decline has a prominent role due to its effects on other cognitive functions and daily routines. To reinforce vWM in the aging population, several cognitive training interventions have been developed in the past years. Given that vWM functioning depends (at least partially) on the efficiency of attention selection of the relevant objects, in the present study we implemented a short (five sessions), online intervention that primarily trained attentive individuation of target items and tested training effects on a vWM task. Attention training effects were compared with practice (i.e., a group that repeatedly performed the same vWM task) and test-retest effects (i.e., a passive group). After the training, the results showed attention training effects of the same magnitude as practice effects, confirming that the enhancement of attentive individuation has a positive cascade influence on maintaining items in vWM. Moreover, training and practice effects were only evident in low-performing older adults. Thus, interindividual differences at baseline crucially contribute to training outcomes and are a fundamental factor to be accounted for in the implementation of cognitive training protocols.
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14
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Endemann R, Kamp SM. An examination of task factors that influence the associative memory deficit in aging. Front Psychol 2022; 13:991371. [PMID: 36211863 PMCID: PMC9539925 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.991371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is accompanied by a decline in associative memory, whereas item memory remains relatively stable compared to young adults. This age-related associative deficit is well replicated, but its mechanisms and influencing factors during learning are still largely unclear. In the present study, we examined mediators of the age-related associative deficit, including encoding intentionality, strategy instructions, the timing of the memory test (immediate vs. 24 h delayed) and the material being learned (words vs. pictures) in a within-subject design. Older and younger adults performed seven encoding tasks on word pairs and picture pairs on two consecutive days, followed by item and associative recognition tests. The associative deficit was evident after all encoding tasks. We found no evidence for a difference in the magnitude of the associative deficit between incidental vs. intentional learning conditions. However, there was some evidence for a larger associative memory deficit with pictures versus words when the encoding task was held equal. Sentence generation and interactive imagery instructions in which participants generated their own mediators reduced the magnitude of the associative deficit. However, increased encoding guidance through the provision of mediators did not lead to an alleviation of the deficit, potentially because the specified mediators were implausible or difficult for the older adults to reconcile with prior knowledge. Finally, we found some evidence for a reduced age-related associative deficit with a test delay of 24 h. These results contribute to a better understanding of the factors affecting the relative difficulty of older adults with encoding and retrieving novel associations.
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15
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Mack M, Stojan R, Bock O, Voelcker-Rehage C. Cognitive-motor multitasking in older adults: a randomized controlled study on the effects of individual differences on training success. BMC Geriatr 2022; 22:581. [PMID: 35840893 PMCID: PMC9284902 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-03201-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Multitasking is an essential part of our everyday life, but performance declines typically in older age. Many studies have investigated the beneficial effects of cognitive, motor and combined cognitive-motor training on multitasking performance in older adults. Previous work, however, has not regarded interindividual differences in cognitive functioning and motor fitness that may affect training benefits. The current study aims to identify whether different training programs may have differential effects on multitasking performance depending on the initial level of cognitive functioning and motor fitness. Methods We conduct a 12-week single-blinded randomized controlled trial. A total of N = 150 healthy older adults are assigned to either a single cognitive, a single motor, or a simultaneous cognitive-motor training. Participants are trained twice per week for 45 min. A comprehensive test battery assesses cognitive functions, motor and cardiovascular fitness, and realistic multitasking during walking and driving in two virtual environments. We evaluate how multitasking performance is related not only to the training program, but also to participants’ initial levels of cognitive functioning and motor fitness. Discussion We expect that multitasking performance in participants with lower initial competence in either one or both domains (cognitive functioning, motor fitness) benefits more from single-task training (cognitive training and/or motor training). In contrast, multitasking performance in participants with higher competence in both domains should benefit more from multitask training (simultaneous cognitive-motor training). The results may help to identify whether tailored training is favorable over standardized one-size-fits all training approaches to improve multitasking in older adults. In addition, our findings will advance the understanding of factors that influence training effects on multitasking. Trial registration DRKS (German Clinical Trials Register), DRKS00022407. Registered 26/08/2020 - Retrospectively registered at https://www.drks.de/drks_web/setLocale_EN.do
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Mack
- Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Schickard-Straße 8, 48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Robert Stojan
- Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Schickard-Straße 8, 48149, Muenster, Germany.,Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Chemnitz University of Technology, Thueringer Weg 11, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Otmar Bock
- Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Chemnitz University of Technology, Thueringer Weg 11, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany.,Institute of Exercise Training and Sport Informatics, German Sport University, Am Sportpark Muengersdorf 6, 50927, Cologne, Germany
| | - Claudia Voelcker-Rehage
- Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Schickard-Straße 8, 48149, Muenster, Germany. .,Institute of Human Movement Science and Health, Chemnitz University of Technology, Thueringer Weg 11, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany.
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16
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von Bastian CC, Reinhartz A, Udale RC, Grégoire S, Essounni M, Belleville S, Strobach T. Mechanisms of processing speed training and transfer effects across the adult lifespan: protocol of a multi-site cognitive training study. BMC Psychol 2022; 10:168. [PMID: 35804410 PMCID: PMC9270821 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-022-00877-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In recent years, cognitive training has gained popularity as a cost-effective and accessible intervention aiming at compensating for or even counteracting age-related cognitive declines during adulthood. Whereas the evidence for the effectiveness of cognitive training in general is inconsistent, processing speed training has been a notable successful exception, showing promising generalized benefits in untrained tasks and everyday cognitive functioning. The goal of this study is to investigate why and when processing speed training can lead to transfer across the adult lifespan. Specifically, we will test (1) whether training-induced changes in the rate of evidence accumulation underpin transfer to cognitive performance in untrained contexts, and (2) whether these transfer effects increase with stronger attentional control demands of the training tasks. Methods We will employ a multi-site, longitudinal, double-blinded and actively controlled study design with a target sample size of N = 400 adult participants between 18 and 85 years old. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three processing speed training interventions with varying attentional control demands (choice reaction time, switching, or dual tasks) which will be compared to an active control group training simple reaction time tasks with minimal attentional control demands. All groups will complete 10 home-based training sessions comprising three tasks. Training gains, near transfer to the untrained tasks of the other groups, and far transfer to working memory, inhibitory control, reasoning, and everyday cognitive functioning will be assessed in the laboratory directly before, immediately after, and three months after training (i.e., pretest, posttest, and follow-up, respectively). We will estimate the rate of evidence accumulation (drift rate) with diffusion modeling and conduct latent-change score modeling for hypothesis testing. Discussion This study will contribute to identifying the cognitive processes that change when training speeded tasks with varying attentional control demands across the adult lifespan. A better understanding of how processing speed training affects specific cognitive mechanisms will enable researchers to maximize the effectiveness of cognitive training in producing broad transfer to psychologically meaningful everyday life outcomes. Trial registration Open Science Framework Registries, registration https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/J5G7E; date of registration: 9 May 2022.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia C von Bastian
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, 1 Vicar Lane, Sheffield, S1 2LT, UK.
| | | | - Robert C Udale
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, 1 Vicar Lane, Sheffield, S1 2LT, UK
| | - Stéphanie Grégoire
- Centre de Recherche de L'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Canada
| | - Mehdi Essounni
- Centre de Recherche de L'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Canada
| | - Sylvie Belleville
- Centre de Recherche de L'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Canada.,Université de Montréal (UdeM), Montréal, Canada
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17
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Nagy B, Protzner AB, van der Wijk G, Wang H, Cortese F, Czigler I, Gaál ZA. The modulatory effect of adaptive task-switching training on resting-state neural network dynamics in younger and older adults. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9541. [PMID: 35680953 PMCID: PMC9184743 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13708-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
With increasing life expectancy and active aging, it becomes crucial to investigate methods which could compensate for generally detected cognitive aging processes. A promising candidate is adaptive cognitive training, during which task difficulty is adjusted to the participants' performance level to enhance the training and potential transfer effects. Measuring intrinsic brain activity is suitable for detecting possible distributed training-effects since resting-state dynamics are linked to the brain's functional flexibility and the effectiveness of different cognitive processes. Therefore, we investigated if adaptive task-switching training could modulate resting-state neural dynamics in younger (18-25 years) and older (60-75 years) adults (79 people altogether). We examined spectral power density on resting-state EEG data for measuring oscillatory activity, and multiscale entropy for detecting intrinsic neural complexity. Decreased coarse timescale entropy and lower frequency band power as well as increased fine timescale entropy and higher frequency band power revealed a shift from more global to local information processing with aging before training. However, cognitive training modulated these age-group differences, as coarse timescale entropy and lower frequency band power increased from pre- to post-training in the old-training group. Overall, our results suggest that cognitive training can modulate neural dynamics even when measured outside of the trained task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boglárka Nagy
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, P.O. Box 286, Budapest, 1519, Hungary.
- Department of Cognitive Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Andrea B Protzner
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Mathison Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Gwen van der Wijk
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Hongye Wang
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Filomeno Cortese
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Seaman Family MR Centre, Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - István Czigler
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, P.O. Box 286, Budapest, 1519, Hungary
- Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Anna Gaál
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, P.O. Box 286, Budapest, 1519, Hungary
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18
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Youn C, Grotzinger AD, Lill CM, Bertram L, Schmiedek F, Lövdén M, Lindenberger U, Nivard M, Harden KP, Tucker-Drob EM. Genetic associations with learning over 100 days of practice. NPJ SCIENCE OF LEARNING 2022; 7:7. [PMID: 35508486 PMCID: PMC9068685 DOI: 10.1038/s41539-022-00121-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherry Youn
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | | | - Christina M Lill
- Lübeck Interdisciplinary Platform for Genome Analytics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Aging Epidemiology Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Lars Bertram
- Lübeck Interdisciplinary Platform for Genome Analytics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Florian Schmiedek
- Department for Education and Human Development, DIPF|Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Lövdén
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany, and London, UK
| | - Michel Nivard
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - K Paige Harden
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Elliot M Tucker-Drob
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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19
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Assecondi S, Villa-Sánchez B, Shapiro K. Event-Related Potentials as Markers of Efficacy for Combined Working Memory Training and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Regimens: A Proof-of-Concept Study. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:837979. [PMID: 35547238 PMCID: PMC9083230 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.837979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Our brains are often under pressure to process a continuous flow of information in a short time, therefore facing a constantly increasing demand for cognitive resources. Recent studies have highlighted that a lasting improvement of cognitive functions may be achieved by exploiting plasticity, i.e., the brain’s ability to adapt to the ever-changing cognitive demands imposed by the environment. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), when combined with cognitive training, can promote plasticity, amplify training gains and their maintenance over time. The availability of low-cost wearable devices has made these approaches more feasible, albeit the effectiveness of combined training regimens is still unclear. To quantify the effectiveness of such protocols, many researchers have focused on behavioral measures such as accuracy or reaction time. These variables only return a global, non-specific picture of the underlying cognitive process. Electrophysiology instead has the finer grained resolution required to shed new light on the time course of the events underpinning processes critical to cognitive control, and if and how these processes are modulated by concurrent tDCS. To the best of our knowledge, research in this direction is still very limited. We investigate the electrophysiological correlates of combined 3-day working memory training and non-invasive brain stimulation in young adults. We focus on event-related potentials (ERPs), instead of other features such as oscillations or connectivity, because components can be measured on as little as one electrode. ERP components are, therefore, well suited for use with home devices, usually equipped with a limited number of recording channels. We consider short-, mid-, and long-latency components typically elicited by working memory tasks and assess if and how the amplitude of these components are modulated by the combined training regimen. We found no significant effects of tDCS either behaviorally or in brain activity, as measured by ERPs. We concluded that either tDCS was ineffective (because of the specific protocol or the sample under consideration, i.e., young adults) or brain-related changes, if present, were too subtle. Therefore, we suggest that other measures of brain activity may be more appropriate/sensitive to training- and/or tDCS-induced modulations, such as network connectivity, especially in young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Assecondi
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Visual Experience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Center for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Sara Assecondi, ,
| | | | - Kim Shapiro
- Visual Experience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
- Center for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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20
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Chuang IC, Liao WW, Wu CY, Yeh TT, Chen CL, Lin CH, Huang TH, Pei YC. Baseline Global Cognitive Function Affects Cognitive and Functional Outcomes of Combined Physical and Cognitive Training Among Older Adults With Cognitive Decline. Am J Occup Ther 2022; 76:23214. [PMID: 35201299 DOI: 10.5014/ajot.2022.042218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Baseline global cognitive function may affect cognitive and functional outcomes during combined physical and cognitive training; however, how it influences the effects of combined training remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of baseline global cognitive function on cognitive and functional outcomes after combined physical and cognitive training among older adults with cognitive decline. DESIGN Observational. SETTING Local communities and senior centers. PARTICIPANTS Older adults with mild cognitive decline (MCD; n = 51) and moderate to severe cognitive decline (MSCD; n = 40). INTERVENTION Participants received 45 to 55 min of physical exercise training followed by 45 to 55 min of cognitive training in one session per week for 12 wk. Outcomes and Measures: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Lawton-Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (Lawton-Brody IADL), Word Recall Test (WRT), Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT), Digital Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), and Trail Making Test (TMT) scores were assessed and compared between the MCD and MSCD groups. RESULTS Significant interaction effects were found for the WRT, SCWT, MoCA, and Lawton-Brody IADL. WRT and SCWT scores significantly improved in the MCD group, whereas MoCA and Lawton-Brody IADL scores significantly improved in the MSCD group. DSST scores increased among all participants, but TMT scores improved only in the MCD group. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Older adults' baseline global cognitive function affected cognitive and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) outcomes regarding combined training. High-level cognitive function, including inhibition and shifting abilities and working memory capacity, improved among older adults with MCD, whereas general cognitive function and IADLs improved among older adults with MSCD. What This Article Adds: Findings revealed domain-specific changes with respect to baseline cognitive function, which may help to refine current combined training protocols and facilitate development of personalized combined training programs for older adults with cognitive impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Ching Chuang
- I-Ching Chuang, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, and Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, and Assistant Research Fellow, Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Wan-Wen Liao
- Wan-Wen Liao, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Department of Gerontological Health Care, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Yi Wu
- Ching-Yi Wu, ScD, OTR, is Professor and Chair, Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Institute of Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, and Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, and Research Fellow, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan;
| | - Ting-Ting Yeh
- Ting-Ting Yeh, PhD, is Assistant Professor, Master's Degree Program in Healthcare Industry, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ling Chen
- Chia-Ling Chen, MD, PhD, is Attending Doctor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan, and Professor and Chair, Graduate Institute of Early Intervention, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Hao Lin
- Chung-Hao, MD, is Attending Doctor, Department of Internal Medicine, New Taipei Municipal TuCheng Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, and Attending Doctor, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Hsin Huang
- Tzu-Hsin Huang, MS, is Director, Department of Nursing, Taoyuan Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Cheng Pei
- Yu-Cheng Pei, MD, PhD, is Professor, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, and Director, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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21
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Maraver MJ, Gómez-Ariza CJ, Borella E, Bajo MT. Baseline capacities and motivation in executive control training of healthy older adults. Aging Ment Health 2022; 26:595-603. [PMID: 33325260 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2020.1858755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Normal aging involves progressive prefrontal declines and impairments in executive control. This study aimed to examine the efficacy of an executive-control training focusing on working memory and inhibition, in healthy older adults, and to explore the role of individual differences in baseline capacities and motivation in explaining training gains. METHODS Forty-four healthy older adults were randomly assigned to an experimental (training executive control) or active control group (training processing speed). Participants completed six online training sessions distributed across two weeks. Transfer effects to working memory (Operation Span test), response inhibition (Stop-Signal test), processing speed (Pattern Comparison) and reasoning (Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices and Cattell Culture Fair test) were evaluated. Furthermore, we explored individual differences in baseline capacities and assessed motivation during and after the intervention. RESULTS The experimental group, but not the active control, showed significant transfer to response inhibition. Moreover, a general compensation effect was found: older adults with lower baseline capacities achieved higher levels of training improvement. Motivation was not related to training performance. CONCLUSION Our results encourage the use of executive control training to improve cognitive functions, reveal the importance of individual differences in training-related gains, and provide further support for cognitive plasticity during healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- María J Maraver
- Faculty of Psychology, Research Center for Psychological Science, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.,Research Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - M Teresa Bajo
- Research Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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22
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Carbone E, Piras F, Pastore M, Borella E. The Role of Individual Characteristics in Predicting Short- and Long-Term Cognitive and Psychological Benefits of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for Mild-to-Moderate Dementia. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 13:811127. [PMID: 35087398 PMCID: PMC8787290 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.811127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: This study examined the role of individual characteristics in predicting short- and long-term benefits of the Italian version of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST-IT), an evidence-based intervention for people with mild-to-moderate dementia. Materials and Methods: Data were drawn from a sample (N = 123) of people with dementia (PwD) who took part in a multicenter controlled clinical trial of CST-IT. Assessments at pre-test, immediately after completing the treatment, and 3 months later investigated the following outcomes: general cognitive functioning and language, mood and behavior, everyday functioning, and quality of life. Age, education and baseline (pre-test) cognitive functioning, mood (depression) and behavioral and neuropsychiatric symptoms were considered as predictors of any short- and long-term benefits. Results: Linear mixed-effects models showed that different individual characteristics -particularly education and age- influenced the benefits of CST-IT, depending on the outcome measures considered. Higher education predicted larger gains in general cognitive functioning and, along with less severe depressive symptoms, in language (magnification effects). Older age was associated with positive changes in mood (compensation effects). Albeit very modestly, older age was also associated with larger gains in everyday functioning (compensation effects). Gains in quality of life were predicted by older age and lower education (compensation effects). Baseline cognitive functioning, mood and/or behavioral symptoms broadly influenced performance too, but their role again depended on the outcomes considered. Discussion: These findings underscore the importance of considering and further exploring how psychosocial interventions like CST are affected by individual characteristics in order to maximize their efficacy for PwD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Carbone
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
- *Correspondence: Elena Carbone,
| | - Federica Piras
- Neuropsychiatry Laboratory, Clinical and Behavioral Neurology Department, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Pastore
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
- Erika Borella,
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23
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Ophey A, Wenzel J, Paul R, Giehl K, Rehberg S, Eggers C, Reker P, van Eimeren T, Kalbe E, Kambeitz-Ilankovic L. Cognitive Performance and Learning Parameters Predict Response to Working Memory Training in Parkinson's Disease. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2022; 12:2235-2247. [PMID: 36120792 PMCID: PMC9661332 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-223448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Working memory (WM) training (WMT) is a popular intervention approach against cognitive decline in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, heterogeneity in WM responsiveness suggests that WMT may not be equally efficient for all patients. OBJECTIVE The present study aims to evaluate a multivariate model to predict post-intervention verbal WM in patients with PD using a supervised machine learning approach. We test the predictive potential of novel learning parameters derived from the WMT and compare their predictiveness to other more commonly used domains including demographic, clinical, and cognitive data. METHODS 37 patients with PD (age: 64.09±8.56, 48.6% female, 94.7% Hoehn & Yahr stage 2) participated in a 5-week WMT. Four random forest regression models including 1) cognitive variables only, 2) learning parameters only, 3) both cognitive and learning variables, and 4) the entire set of variables (with additional demographic and clinical data, 'all' model), were built to predict immediate and 3-month-follow-up WM. RESULT The 'all' model predicted verbal WM with the lowest root mean square error (RMSE) compared to the other models, at both immediate (RMSE = 0.184; 95% -CI=[0.184;0.185]) and 3-month follow-up (RMSE = 0.216; 95% -CI=[0.215;0.217]). Cognitive baseline parameters were among the most important predictors in the 'all' model. The model combining cognitive and learning parameters significantly outperformed the model solely based on cognitive variables. CONCLUSION Commonly assessed demographic, clinical, and cognitive variables provide robust prediction of response to WMT. Nonetheless, inclusion of training-inherent learning parameters further boosts precision of prediction models which in turn may augment training benefits following cognitive interventions in patients with PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Ophey
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Medical Psychology | Neuropsychology & Gender Studies, Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostic and Intervention (CeNDI), Cologne, Germany
| | - Julian Wenzel
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany
| | - Riya Paul
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Kathrin Giehl
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cologne, Germany
- Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-2), Jülich, Germany
| | - Sarah Rehberg
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Medical Psychology | Neuropsychology & Gender Studies, Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostic and Intervention (CeNDI), Cologne, Germany
| | - Carsten Eggers
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior - CMBB, Universities of Marburg and Gießen, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Knappschaftskrankenhaus Bottrop, Bottrop, Germany
| | - Paul Reker
- Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thilo van Eimeren
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Elke Kalbe
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Medical Psychology | Neuropsychology & Gender Studies, Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostic and Intervention (CeNDI), Cologne, Germany
| | - Lana Kambeitz-Ilankovic
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Cologne, Germany
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
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24
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Rodella C, Bernini S, Panzarasa S, Sinforiani E, Picascia M, Quaglini S, Cavallini E, Vecchi T, Tassorelli C, Bottiroli S. A double-blind randomized controlled trial combining cognitive training (CoRe) and neurostimulation (tDCS) in the early stages of cognitive impairment. Aging Clin Exp Res 2022; 34:73-83. [PMID: 34156651 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-021-01912-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is expected to increase over the next years, therefore, new methods able to prevent and delay cognitive decline are needed. AIMS To evaluate the effectiveness of a combined treatment protocol associating a computerized cognitive training (CoRe) with anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). METHODS In this randomized controlled trial, 33 patients in the early stage of cognitive impairment were assigned to the experimental group (CoRE + real tDCS) or control group (CoRE + sham tDCS). In each group, the intervention lasted 3 consecutive weeks (4 sessions/week). A neuropsychological assessment was administered at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1) and 6-months later (T2). RESULTS The CoRE + real tDCS group only improved in working memory and attention/processing speed at both T1 and T2. It reported a stable MMSE score at T2, while the CoRE + sham tDCS group worsened. Age, mood, and T0 MMSE score resulted to play a role in predicting treatment effects. CONCLUSION Combined multi-domain interventions may contribute to preventing or delaying disease progression. TRIAL REGISTRATION Trial registration number (ClinicalTrials.gov): NCT04118686.
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25
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The effect of working memory capacity and training on intertemporal decision making in children from low-socioeconomic-status families. J Exp Child Psychol 2021; 216:105347. [PMID: 34971975 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Individuals differ in their tendency to discount delayed rewards. Low socioeconomic status (SES) has been found to be associated with strong delayed reward discounting (DRD), which in turn contributes to risky decision making and adverse behaviors. However, research on possible cognitive mediators of the negative association between SES and DRD, and on effects of cognitive training in low-SES adolescents, is largely lacking. In examining Chinese adolescents (aged 11-15 years; N = 207), Study 1 assessed which aspect of working memory (WM)-simple maintenance, simple manipulation, or updating-serves as mediator, which proved to be WM updating. Based on this outcome, in Study 2 Chinese adolescents (aged 12-14 years; N = 73) with low family SES were assigned to a WM updating training condition or a control condition. All participants performed DRD and WM tasks before and after treatment. The trained adolescents showed positive training effects on DRD, and this effect was specifically correlated with beneficial training effects on performance on a WM updating transfer task. These results support the role of WM updating in DRD and might inform training programs to promote more favorable decision making in low-SES adolescents.
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26
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Traut HJ, Chevalier N, Guild RM, Munakata Y. Understanding and Supporting Inhibitory Control: Unique Contributions From Proactive Monitoring and Motoric Stopping to Children's Improvements With Practice. Child Dev 2021; 92:e1290-e1307. [PMID: 34339051 PMCID: PMC11230644 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Children struggle to stop inappropriate behaviors. What interventions improve inhibitory control, for whom, and why? Prior work suggested that practice proactively monitoring for relevant signals improved children's inhibitory control more than practice with motoric stopping. However, these processes were not clearly dissociated. This study tested 162 seven- to nine-year-old children (89 female, 72 male, 1 unreported; 82% White) on the stop-signal task, following monitoring or stopping-focused practice. Both methods improved inhibitory control, supported generalization, and interacted ( η p 2 = .20-.73). Practice approaches differentially impacted variability ( η p 2 = .01-.09). Only monitoring benefits showed signs of depending upon proactive control ( η p 2 = .02). These findings highlight unique contributions of attentional and stopping processes to inhibitory control, suggesting possibilities for tailored interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary J. Traut
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Nicolas Chevalier
- School of Philosophy, Psychology, and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan M. Guild
- Renée Crown Wellness Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Yuko Munakata
- Department of Psychology and Center for Mind and Brain, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
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27
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Roheger M, Kalbe E, Corbett A, Brooker H, Ballard C. Predictors of activities of daily living in heathy older adults: Who benefits most from online cognitive training? Brain Behav 2021; 11:e2388. [PMID: 34661996 PMCID: PMC8613408 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the course of activities of daily living (IADL) functioning and possible predictors of performance changes in healthy older adults conducting either a General Cognitive Training (GCT) or a Reasoning Cognitive Training (ReaCT) or no training (control group, CG) over a period of 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS An online, home-based GCT and ReaCT including n = 2913 healthy participants (GCT: n = 1096; ReaCT: n = 1022; CG: n = 794) aged 60 years and older. METHODS Multilevel analysis were calculated to explore the nature of our outcome variables of IADL part A (independence) and part B (difficulty of tasks), and to detect possible predictors for participants' performance on IADL after CT. RESULTS The random slopes models fitted better for the outcomes IADL Part B in the GCT group (χ2 (2) = 18.78, p < .01), and both IADL Part A and Part B in the ReaCT group (χ2 (2) = 28.57, p < .01; χ2 (2) = 63.38, p < .01, respectively), indicating different changes over time for individual participants. Female sex was a significant predictor of IADL change in the ReaCT group, showing that females benefited most in both IADL scores (IADL A: 0.01, p < .01; IADL B: 0.004, p < .01). No other significant predictors for IADL changes were identified. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION The particular effectiveness in women is of clinical relevance, as IADL is typically more impaired in women than in men in advanced age. Following a personalized medicine approach, identifying predictors of non-pharmacological intervention success is of utmost importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Roheger
- Department of Medical Psychology, Neuropsychology and Gender Studies & Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Intervention (CeNDI), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Elke Kalbe
- Department of Medical Psychology, Neuropsychology and Gender Studies & Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Intervention (CeNDI), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anne Corbett
- Institute of Health Research, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Helen Brooker
- Institute of Health Research, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Clive Ballard
- Institute of Health Research, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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28
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The Role of Age, Cognitive Ability, and ADHD Symptoms on Outcomes of Attention Training in Primary School Children. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-021-00229-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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29
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Conflict-Related Brain Activity after Individualized Cognitive Training in Preschoolers from Poor Homes. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-021-00223-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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30
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Pisani S, Mueller C, Huntley J, Aarsland D, Kempton MJ. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of physical activity in people with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment with a comparison to donepezil. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2021; 36:1471-1487. [PMID: 34490652 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Physical exercise may benefit people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of exercise have shown conflicting findings and it is unclear if positive outcomes are comparable to a commonly used cholinesterase inhibitor, donepezil. METHODS Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, SCOPUS were searched for RCTs of physical activity compared to a control condition, and donepezil compared to placebo in people with AD and MCI. Effect sizes were calculated from pre- and post-MMSE and ADAS-Cog scores and pooled using a random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS Ninteen RCTs were included in the exercise meta-analysis (AD, N = 524; MCI, N = 1269). Physical exercise improved MMSE scores in AD (Hedges' g = 0.46) and MCI groups (g = 0.63). For the MCI group, exercise appeared to have a stronger effect for those with lower MMSE scores at baseline (p = 0.022). 18 RCTs were included in the donepezil meta-analysis (AD, N = 2984, MCI, N = 1559). In people with AD, donepezil improved cognition (MMSE g = 0.23; ADAS-Cog, g = -0.17) but there was no evidence of improved cognition in MCI. CONCLUSIONS Physical exercise improved cognition in both AD and MCI groups. Where comparisons were possible, the effect size for physical exercise was generally comparable to donepezil. These results strengthen the evidence base for exercise as an effective intervention in AD and MCI, and future clinical trials should examine exercise type, intensity and frequency, in addition to cholinesterase inhibitors to determine the most effective interventions for AD and MCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Pisani
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Christoph Mueller
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Huntley
- Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Dag Aarsland
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Age-Related Medicine (SESAM), Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Matthew J Kempton
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
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Carbone E, Meneghetti C, Borella E. Supporting route learning in older adults: the role of imagery strategy. Aging Ment Health 2021; 25:1564-1571. [PMID: 32067468 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2020.1727844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Route learning is an everyday spatial ability important to individuals' independent living, and is known to decline with age. This study aimed to investigate the benefit of using an imagery strategy to support route learning in young and older adults. METHODS Forty young adults and 40 older adults learned a path from a video. Twenty of each age group were taught to use an imagery strategy (strategy groups [SGs]), while the others received no specific instructions (control groups [CGs]). Then participants were asked to recall the order and location of landmarks they had seen along the path (landmark ordering and locating tasks). RESULTS Young adults recalled the order and location of landmarks better than older adults, and the SGs outperformed the CGs regardless of age. The Age group x Learning group interaction was only significant for the landmark locating task, with the young CG performing better than the older CG, while the older SG proved as good at recalling landmark locations as the young SG. Further, it was only among the older adults that the SG outperformed the CG. CONCLUSION These findings newly suggest that using imagery helps to sustain older adults' route learning ability, especially in spatial recall tasks demanding the active manipulation of spatial information learnt, such as locating landmarks previously encountered while navigating a path. These results are discussed within the aging and spatial cognition frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Carbone
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Chiara Meneghetti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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Tarantino V, Burgio F, Toffano R, Rigon E, Meneghello F, Weis L, Vallesi A. Efficacy of a Training on Executive Functions in Potentiating Rehabilitation Effects in Stroke Patients. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1002. [PMID: 34439621 PMCID: PMC8392264 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11081002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment after a stroke has a direct impact on patients' disability. In particular, impairment of Executive Functions (EFs) interferes with re-adaptation to daily life. The aim of this study was to explore whether adding a computer-based training on EFs to an ordinary rehabilitation program, regardless of the specific brain damage and clinical impairment (motor, language, or cognitive), could improve rehabilitation outcomes in patients with stroke. An EF training was designed to have minimal motor and expressive language demands and to be applied to a wide range of clinical conditions. A total of 37 stroke patients were randomly assigned to two groups: a training group, which performed the EF training in addition to the ordinary rehabilitation program (treatment as usual), and a control group, which performed the ordinary rehabilitation exclusively. Both groups were assessed before and after the rehabilitation program on neuropsychological tests covering multiple cognitive domains, and on functional scales (Barthel index, Functional Independence Measure). The results showed that only patients who received the training improved their scores on the Attentional Matrices and Phonemic Fluency tests after the rehabilitation program. Moreover, they showed a greater functional improvement in the Barthel scale as well. These results suggest that combining an EF training with an ordinary rehabilitation program potentiates beneficial effects of the latter, especially in promoting independence in activities of daily living.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Tarantino
- Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Burgio
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 30126 Venice, Italy; (F.B.); (R.T.); (E.R.); (F.M.)
| | - Roberta Toffano
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 30126 Venice, Italy; (F.B.); (R.T.); (E.R.); (F.M.)
| | - Elena Rigon
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 30126 Venice, Italy; (F.B.); (R.T.); (E.R.); (F.M.)
| | | | - Luca Weis
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy;
| | - Antonino Vallesi
- IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, 30126 Venice, Italy; (F.B.); (R.T.); (E.R.); (F.M.)
- Department of Neuroscience & Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
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Exploring Individual Differences as Predictors of Performance Change During Dual-N-Back Training. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2021; 5:480-498. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-021-00216-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Nejati V. Program for attention rehabilitation and strengthening (PARS) improves executive functions in children with attention deficit- hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2021; 113:103937. [PMID: 33756252 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2021.103937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Attention is improved through cognitive rehabilitation. The purpose of the present study was the evaluation of the effect of a paper and pencil program for attention rehabilitation and strengthening (PARS) in children with ADHD. Thirty children with ADHD were randomly divided into two equal intervention and control groups. The intervention group received 12-15 sessions of intervention through PARS. Sustained, selective, and shifting attention, inhibitory control, and working memory were assessed by Persian attention registration, Stroop, color trail making, Go/No-Go, and 1- back tests. Analyses indicated that the experimental group, in comparison with the control group, showed improved selective and sustained attention and the training effects transfers to executive functions, inhibitory control and working memory. The result is discussed in the light of transferability of training effects from attention to executive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Nejati
- Department of Psychology, Shahid Beheshti University, PO Box: 1983969411, Tehran, Iran.
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35
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Kirk HE, Spencer-Smith M, Wiley JF, Cornish KM. Gamified Attention Training in the Primary School Classroom: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial. J Atten Disord 2021; 25:1146-1159. [PMID: 31718386 DOI: 10.1177/1087054719887435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Objective: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of attention training delivered in class on cognitive attention processes, inattention, hyperactivity, working memory, and numeracy in primary school children. Method: Eight classes (n = 98 children; 5-9 years) were cluster randomized to gamified attention training, a placebo program, or a no-contact control condition. Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately after the 5-week intervention (posttraining), and 6 months later (follow-up). Results: Posttraining, attention training was associated with reduced inattention and hyperactivity within the classroom compared with controls, and reduced hyperactivity at home compared with the no-contact control. At follow-up, reduced hyperactivity within the classroom compared with the no-contact control persisted. No effects of training on cognitive attention processes, working memory, and numeracy were observed posttraining. Conclusion: Classroom-based attention training has select benefits in reducing inattention and hyperactivity, but may not promote gains in cognitive or academic skills in primary school children.
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Bernini S, Panzarasa S, Barbieri M, Sinforiani E, Quaglini S, Tassorelli C, Bottiroli S. A double-blind randomized controlled trial of the efficacy of cognitive training delivered using two different methods in mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease: preliminary report of benefits associated with the use of a computerized tool. Aging Clin Exp Res 2021; 33:1567-1575. [PMID: 32895890 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-020-01665-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The effectiveness of computer-based cognitive training (CCT) remains controversial, especially in older adults with neurodegenerative diseases. AIMS To evaluate the efficacy of CCT in patients with Parkinson's disease and mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI). METHODS In this randomized controlled trial, 53 patients were randomized to receive CCT delivered by means of CoRe software, traditional paper-and-pencil cognitive training (PCT), or an unstructured activity intervention (CG). In each group, the intervention lasted 3 consecutive weeks (4 individual face-to-face sessions/week). Neuropsychological assessment was administered at baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1). Outcome measures at T0 and T1 were compared within and between groups. The Montreal Overall Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was taken as the primary outcome measure. RESULTS Unlike the PCT group and the CG, the patients receiving CCT showed significant medium/large effect size improvements in MoCA performance, global cognition, executive functions, and attention/processing speed. No baseline individual/demographic variables were associated with greater gains from the intervention, although a negative correlation with baseline MoCA performance was found. CONCLUSION CCT proved effective in PD-MCI patients when compared with traditional PCT. Further follow-up assessments are being conducted to verify the retention of the gains and the potential ability of the tool to delay conversion to PD-dementia. Trial registration number (ClinicalTrials.gov): NCT04111640 (30th September 2019).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Silvia Panzarasa
- Dept. of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | | | - Silvana Quaglini
- Dept. of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Cristina Tassorelli
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Dept. of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Sara Bottiroli
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Giustino Fortunato University, Benevento, Italy
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Traut HJ, Guild RM, Munakata Y. Why Does Cognitive Training Yield Inconsistent Benefits? A Meta-Analysis of Individual Differences in Baseline Cognitive Abilities and Training Outcomes. Front Psychol 2021; 12:662139. [PMID: 34122249 PMCID: PMC8187947 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.662139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite growing interest in improving cognitive abilities across the lifespan through training, the benefits of cognitive training are inconsistent. One powerful contributor may be that individuals arrive at interventions with different baseline levels of the cognitive skill being trained. Some evidence suggests poor performers benefit the most from cognitive training, showing compensation for their weak abilities, while other evidence suggests that high performers benefit most, experiencing a magnification of their abilities. Whether training leads to compensation or magnification effects may depend upon the specific cognitive domain being trained (such as executive function or episodic memory) and the training approach implemented (strategy or process). To clarify the association between individual differences in baseline cognitive ability and training gains as well as potential moderators, we conducted a systematic meta-analysis of the correlation between these two variables. We found evidence of a significant meta-correlation demonstrating a compensatory effect, a negative association between initial ability on a trained cognitive process and training gains. Too few papers met our search criteria across the levels of proposed moderators of cognitive domain and training approach to conduct a reliable investigation of their influence over the meta-analytic effect size. We discuss the implications of a compensatory meta-correlation, potential reasons for the paucity of qualifying papers, and important future directions for better understanding how cognitive trainings work and for whom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary J. Traut
- Cognitive Development Center, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Ryan M. Guild
- Cognitive Development Center, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Yuko Munakata
- Cognition in Context Lab, Department of Psychology and Center for Mind & Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Trajectories of Cognitive Symptoms in Sick-Listed Cancer Survivors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13102444. [PMID: 34069998 PMCID: PMC8157828 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The effects of cognitive symptoms on the ability to work are of major concern for cancer survivors. The aim of our study was to explore trajectories of cognitive functioning in sick-listed cancer survivors with work capacity. We found that cognitive functioning improved between two and four years after first day of sick leave, although cognitive symptoms remained of clinical concern in cancer survivors who are non-durable work-disabled (partly or fully). This underlines the importance to provide partly and fully, non-durable work disabled cancer survivors with evidence-based treatment options for their self-perceived cognitive symptoms. Abstract Many non-central nervous system (CNS) cancer survivors experience cognitive symptoms, which may affect their self-perceived work ability. Little is known about trajectories of self-perceived cognitive functioning in cancer survivors in the period after work disability assessment. Therefore, we evaluated: (1) trajectories of self-reported cognitive functioning, in cancer survivors with work capacity, (2) differences in trajectories of self-reported cognitive functioning between three work disability groups, and (3) explanatory factors of trajectories of self-reported cognitive functioning. Participants (n = 206) were assessed on self-reported cognitive functioning at three time points between two and four years after first day of sick leave. A statistically significant improvement in cognitive functioning was found in the total group (β = 4.62, SE = 0.91, p < 0.001). When comparing cancer survivors in different work disability groups, similar trajectories of cognitive functioning were observed. Fatigue was the only factor found to be associated with the reported trajectory (β = −0.23, SE = 0.086, p = 0.08). Self-perceived cognitive functioning scores remained considerably lower than the mean score of the general Dutch population, indicating that cognitive symptoms are a persistent problem in sick-listed cancer survivors and that evidence-based treatment options are warranted.
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Roheger M, Liebermann-Jordanidis H, Krohm F, Adams A, Kalbe E. Prognostic Factors and Models for Changes in Cognitive Performance After Multi-Domain Cognitive Training in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:636355. [PMID: 33986652 PMCID: PMC8110835 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.636355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cognitive Training (CT) may contribute to the maintenance and even enhancement of cognitive functions in healthy older adults. However, the question who benefits most from multi-domain CTs is still highly under-investigated. Objective: The goal is to investigate prognostic factors and models for changes in cognitive test performance in healthy older adults after a multi-domain CT. Methods: The data bases MEDLINE, Web of Science Core Collection, CENTRAL, and PsycInfo were searched up to July 2019. Studies investigating prognostic factors and/or models on cognitive outcomes (global cognition, memory, attention, executive functions, language, visuo-spatial abilities) after conducting a multi-domain CT in healthy older adults were included. Risk of Bias was assessed using the QUIPS and the PROBAST tool. Results: 23 prognostic factor and model studies were included. Results indicate a high heterogeneity regarding the conducted multi-domain CTs, the investigated prognostic factors, the investigated outcomes, and the used statistical approaches. Age and neuropsychological performance at study entry were the most investigated predictors, yet they show inconsistent results. Conclusion: Data on prognostic factors and models of changes after multi-domain CT are still too rare and inconsistent to draw clear conclusions due to statistical shortcomings and low reporting quality. Approaches for future research are outlined. Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, ID: CRD42020147531
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Roheger
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Department of Medical Psychology
- Neuropsychology and Gender Studies and Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Intervention (CeNDI), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hannah Liebermann-Jordanidis
- Department of Medical Psychology
- Neuropsychology and Gender Studies and Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Intervention (CeNDI), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Fabian Krohm
- Department of Medical Psychology
- Neuropsychology and Gender Studies and Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Intervention (CeNDI), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anne Adams
- Institute of Medical Statistics and Computational Biology, University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Elke Kalbe
- Department of Medical Psychology
- Neuropsychology and Gender Studies and Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Intervention (CeNDI), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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40
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Pappa K, Flegal KE, Baylan S, Evans JJ. Working memory training: Taking a step back to retool and create a bridge between clinical and neuroimaging research methods. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-ADULT 2021; 29:1669-1680. [PMID: 33794120 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2021.1904243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Improvements in patient outcomes and mortality after brain injury alongside increasing ageing population have resulted in an increasing need to develop cognitive interventions for individuals experiencing changes in their cognitive function. One topic of increasing research interest is whether cognitive functions such as attention, memory and executive functioning can be improved through the use of working memory training interventions. Both clinical and neuroimaging researchers are working to evidence this, but their efforts rarely come together. We discuss here several issues that may be hindering progress in this area, including the tools researchers utilize to measure cognition, the choice between employing active or passive control groups, the focus on transfer effects at the expense of well-characterized training effects, and the overall lack of neuroimaging studies in individuals with neurological disorders. We argue that the only way to advance the field is to build bridges between the disciplines of clinical neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. We suggest a multi-level framework to validate the efficacy of working memory interventions and other forms of cognitive training that combine both clinical and neuroimaging approaches. We conclude that in order to move forward we need to form multidisciplinary teams, employ interdisciplinary methods, brain imaging quality rating tools and build national and international collaborations based on open science principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Pappa
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Kristin E Flegal
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Satu Baylan
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jonathan J Evans
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Dual n-back working memory training evinces superior transfer effects compared to the method of loci. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3072. [PMID: 33542383 PMCID: PMC7862396 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82663-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Working memory (WM) training is a prevalent intervention for multiple cognitive deficits, however, the transfer effects to other cognitive tasks from gains in WM induced by different training techniques still remains controversial. Therefore, the current study recruited three groups of young adults to investigate the memory training transference, with N-back group (NBG) (n = 50) training on dual n-back task, Memory Palace group (MPG) (n = 50) on method of loci, and a blank control group (BCG) (n = 48) receiving no training. Our results showed that both training groups separately improved WM capacity on respective trained task. For untrained tasks, both training groups enhanced performance on digit-span task, while on change detection task, significant improvement was only observed in NBG. In conclusion, while both techniques can be used as effective training methods to improve WM, the dual n-back task training method, perhaps has a more prominent transfer effect than that of method of loci.
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Vranic A, Martincevic M, Borella E. Mental imagery training in older adults: Which are benefits and individual predictors? Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2021; 36:334-341. [PMID: 32909352 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Strategic memory training involves explicit instructions in mnemonic methods to improve recall. Mental imagery is considered among the most effective encoding strategies. The aim of the present study was to assess the benefits of a strategic memory training based on mental imagery (originally proposed by Carretti et al., 2007) and to further investigate its potentials. The study represents a replication in a new and independent cultural setting and features valuable methodological amendments, while it also examines individual predictors of training efficacy. DESIGN A sample of 91 older volunteers (age 61-88), divided in training and control group, participated in the training. Specific training gain in the immediate word list recall (criterion task), as well as transfer effects on Letter-Number Sequencing (working memory [WM] task), long-term recall and recognition (LTM tasks) were tested at the pretest and at the posttest. RESULTS Analysis of variance showed posttraining effects in immediate word recall and long-term verbal recall, but no effects in WM task and long-term recognition. Regression analysis showed age to be the only significant predictor in one task, the immediate word recall. CONCLUSIONS Overall, proposed training can improve some aspects of memory performance by aiding in strategic use of mental imagery. Transfer to other tasks and contribution of individual predictors to training efficacy results limited, however. It seems that training benefits are evident when task similarity enables transfer-appropriate processing (as evidenced in gains of both recall tasks), while training efficacy relies on individual characteristics which contribute to the execution of some task components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Vranic
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marina Martincevic
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
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Ophey A, Rehberg S, Giehl K, Eggers C, Reker P, van Eimeren T, Kalbe E. Predicting Working Memory Training Responsiveness in Parkinson's Disease: Both "System Hardware" and Room for Improvement Are Needed. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2021; 35:117-130. [PMID: 33410387 DOI: 10.1177/1545968320981956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background. Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) are highly vulnerable to develop cognitive dysfunctions, and the mitigating potential of early cognitive training (CT) is increasingly recognized. Predictors of CT responsiveness, which could help to tailor interventions individually, have rarely been studied in PD. This study aimed to examine individual characteristics of patients with PD associated with responsiveness to targeted working memory training (WMT). Methods. Data of 75 patients with PD (age: 63.99 ± 9.74 years, 93% Hoehn & Yahr stage 2) without cognitive dysfunctions from a randomized controlled trial were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Latent change score models with and without covariates were estimated and compared between the WMT group (n = 37), who participated in a 5-week adaptive WMT, and a waiting list control group (n = 38). Results. Latent change score models yielded adequate model fit (χ2-test p > .05, SRMR ≤ .08, CFI ≥ .95). For the near-transfer working memory composite, lower baseline performance, younger age, higher education, and higher fluid intelligence were found to significantly predict higher latent change scores in the WMT group, but not in the control group. For the far-transfer executive function composite, higher self-efficacy expectancy tended to significantly predict larger latent change scores. Conclusions. The identified associations between individual characteristics and WMT responsiveness indicate that there has to be room for improvement (e.g., lower baseline performance) and also sufficient "hardware" (e.g., younger age, higher intelligence) to benefit in training-related cognitive plasticity. Our findings are discussed within the compensation versus magnification account. They need to be replicated by methodological high-quality research applying advanced statistical methods with larger samples.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Carsten Eggers
- University Hospital of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.,Universities of Marburg and Gießen, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Thilo van Eimeren
- University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
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Shaw JS, Hosseini SMH. The Effect of Baseline Performance and Age on Cognitive Training Improvements in Older Adults: A Qualitative Review. JPAD-JOURNAL OF PREVENTION OF ALZHEIMERS DISEASE 2020; 8:100-109. [PMID: 33336231 DOI: 10.14283/jpad.2020.55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Findings that the brain is capable of plasticity up until old age have led to interest in the use of cognitive training as a potential intervention to delay the onset of dementia. However, individuals participating in training regimens differ greatly with respect to their outcomes, demonstrating the importance of considering individual differences, in particular age and baseline performance in a cognitive domain, when evaluating the effectiveness of cognitive training. In this review, we summarize existing literature on cognitive training in adults across the domains of episodic memory, working memory and the task-switching component of executive functioning to clarify the picture on the impact of age and baseline performance on cognitive training-related improvements. Studies targeting episodic memory induced greater improvements in younger adults with more intact cognitive abilities, explained in part by factors specific to episodic memory training. By contrast, older, lower baseline performance adults improved most in several studies targeting working memory in older individuals as well as in the majority of studies targeting executive functioning, suggesting the preservation of neural plasticity in these domains until very old age. Our findings can have important implications for informing the design of future interventions for enhancing cognitive functions in individuals at the prodromal stage of Alzheimer's Disease and potentially delaying the clinical onset of Alzheimer's Disease. Future research should more clearly stratify individuals according to their baseline cognitive abilities and assign specialized, skill-specific cognitive training regimens in order to directly answer the question of how individual differences impact training effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Shaw
- SM Hadi Hosseini, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 401 Quarry Rd, Stanford, CA 94305-5795, USA, Tel: (650) 723-5798,
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45
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Mattes A, Roheger M. Nothing wrong about change: the adequate choice of the dependent variable and design in prediction of cognitive training success. BMC Med Res Methodol 2020; 20:296. [PMID: 33287734 PMCID: PMC7720538 DOI: 10.1186/s12874-020-01176-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Even though investigating predictors of intervention success (e.g Cognitive Training, CT) is gaining more and more interest in the light of an individualized medicine, results on specific predictors of intervention success in the overall field are mixed and inconsistent due to different and sometimes inappropriate statistical methods used. Therefore, the present paper gives a guidance on the appropriate use of multiple regression analyses to identify predictors of CT and similar non-pharmacological interventions. Methods We simulated data based on a predefined true model and ran a series of different analyses to evaluate their performance in retrieving the true model coefficients. The true model consisted of a 2 (between: experimental vs. control group) × 2 (within: pre- vs. post-treatment) design with two continuous predictors, one of which predicted the success in the intervention group and the other did not. In analyzing the data, we considered four commonly used dependent variables (post-test score, absolute change score, relative change score, residual score), five regression models, eight sample sizes, and four levels of reliability. Results Our results indicated that a regression model including the investigated predictor, Group (experimental vs. control), pre-test score, and the interaction between the investigated predictor and the Group as predictors, and the absolute change score as the dependent variable seemed most convenient for the given experimental design. Although the pre-test score should be included as a predictor in the regression model for reasons of statistical power, its coefficient should not be interpreted because even if there is no true relationship, a negative and statistically significant regression coefficient commonly emerges. Conclusion Employing simulation methods, theoretical reasoning, and mathematical derivations, we were able to derive recommendations regarding the analysis of data in one of the most prevalent experimental designs in research on CT and external predictors of CT success. These insights can contribute to the application of considered data analyses in future studies and facilitate cumulative knowledge gain. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12874-020-01176-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Mattes
- Department of Individual Differences and Psychological Assessment, University of Cologne, Pohligstraße 1, 50969, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mandy Roheger
- Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau Str. 49, 17489, Greifswald, Germany.
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Roheger M, Kalbe E, Corbett A, Brooker H, Ballard C. Predictors of changes after reasoning training in healthy adults. Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01861. [PMID: 32981211 PMCID: PMC7749593 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate predictors of performance changes and their time course in healthy older adults. DESIGN A post hoc analysis of a RCT investigating the effect of reasoning cognitive training (ReaCT) compared to an active control group (CG) during a time course. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS An online, home-based RCT including n = 4,310 healthy participants (ReaCT: n = 2,557; CG: n = 1,753) aged 50 years and older. METHODS Multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate predictors (age, sex, education, severity of depression, number of training sessions the participants attended, and neuropsychological baseline values) of the outcome measures grammatical reasoning, working memory, digit vigilance, verbal short-term memory, and verbal learning at 6 weeks, 3, and 6 months. RESULTS Being female and lower education predicted improvements in grammatical reasoning scores at 6 weeks and 3 months of training. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION Identifying predictors for nonpharmacological interventions may help to set up a personalized medicine approach in order to prevent cognitive decline in healthy older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Roheger
- Department of Medical Psychology, Neuropsychology and Gender Studies & Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Intervention (CeNDI), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Elke Kalbe
- Department of Medical Psychology, Neuropsychology and Gender Studies & Center for Neuropsychological Diagnostics and Intervention (CeNDI), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anne Corbett
- Institute of Health Research, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Helen Brooker
- Institute of Health Research, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Clive Ballard
- Institute of Health Research, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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Salmi J, Soveri A, Salmela V, Alho K, Leppämäki S, Tani P, Koski A, Jaeggi SM, Laine M. Working memory training restores aberrant brain activity in adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:4876-4891. [PMID: 32813290 PMCID: PMC7643386 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of treatments for attention impairments is hampered by limited knowledge about the malleability of underlying neural functions. We conducted the first randomized controlled trial to determine the modulations of brain activity associated with working memory (WM) training in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). At baseline, we assessed the aberrant functional brain activity in the n-back WM task by comparing 44 adults with ADHD with 18 healthy controls using fMRI. Participants with ADHD were then randomized to train on an adaptive dual n-back task or an active control task. We tested whether WM training elicits redistribution of brain activity as observed in healthy controls, and whether it might further restore aberrant activity related to ADHD. As expected, activity in areas of the default-mode (DMN), salience (SN), sensory-motor (SMN), frontoparietal (FPN), and subcortical (SCN) networks was decreased in participants with ADHD at pretest as compared with healthy controls, especially when the cognitive load was high. WM training modulated widespread FPN and SN areas, restoring some of the aberrant activity. Training effects were mainly observed as decreased brain activity during the trained task and increased activity during the untrained task, suggesting different neural mechanisms for trained and transfer tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juha Salmi
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical EngineeringAalto UniversityEspooFinland
- Department of Psychology and Speech‐Language PathologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Turku Institute for Advanced StudiesUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Anna Soveri
- Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Viljami Salmela
- Department of Psychology and LogopedicsUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- AMI Centre, Aalto NeuroimagingAalto UniversityEspooFinland
| | - Kimmo Alho
- Department of Psychology and LogopedicsUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- AMI Centre, Aalto NeuroimagingAalto UniversityEspooFinland
| | - Sami Leppämäki
- Department of PsychiatryHelsinki University HospitalHelsinkiFinland
| | - Pekka Tani
- Department of PsychiatryHelsinki University HospitalHelsinkiFinland
| | - Anniina Koski
- Department of PsychiatryHelsinki University HospitalHelsinkiFinland
| | - Susanne M. Jaeggi
- School of EducationUniversity of California IrvineIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Cognitive SciencesUniversity of California IrvineIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Matti Laine
- Department of PsychologyÅbo Akademi UniversityTurkuFinland
- Brain and Mind CenterUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
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Bambini V, Tonini E, Ceccato I, Lecce S, Marocchini E, Cavallini E. How to improve social communication in aging: Pragmatic and cognitive interventions. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2020; 211:104864. [PMID: 33137591 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2020.104864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Among all aspects of the linguistic and communicative competence, pragmatics seems especially vulnerable in aging, due also to cognitive decline. However, pragmatics has never been considered as an intervention target in healthy aging. Here we tested the effects of a novel training program to improve pragmatics (PragmaCom) in older adults, compared with an active cognitive control group in a randomized-controlled-trial design. Both the PragmaCom group and the control group improved in pragmatic skills such as understanding metaphors and avoiding off-topic speech, indicating that it is possible to improve pragmatics in aging both with a specific training and with a cognitive training. Individual cognitive factors predicted pragmatic improvement in the control group, while in the PragmaCom group benefits were less dependent on individual characteristics. We discuss the results in terms of pragmatic plasticity, highlighting the importance of these findings for promoting older adults' social communication and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Bambini
- Center for Neurocognition, Epistemology and Theoretical Syntax (NEtS), University School for Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia, Piazza della Vittoria 15, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Tonini
- Center for Neurocognition, Epistemology and Theoretical Syntax (NEtS), University School for Advanced Studies IUSS Pavia, Piazza della Vittoria 15, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Irene Ceccato
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Via Luigi Polacchi 11, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Serena Lecce
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 11, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Eleonora Marocchini
- Laboratory of Language and Cognition, University of Genoa, Via Balbi 30, 16128 Genoa, Italy
| | - Elena Cavallini
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Piazza Botta 11, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Zhao X, Wang L, Maes JH. Training and transfer effects of working memory training in male abstinent long-term heroin users. Addict Behav Rep 2020; 12:100310. [PMID: 33364318 PMCID: PMC7752720 DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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50
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Boujut A, Mellah S, Lussier M, Maltezos S, Verty LV, Bherer L, Belleville S. Assessing the Effect of Training on the Cognition and Brain of Older Adults: Protocol for a Three-Arm Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial (ACTOP). JMIR Res Protoc 2020; 9:e20430. [PMID: 33231556 PMCID: PMC7723746 DOI: 10.2196/20430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To prevent age-related cognitive impairment, many intervention programs offer exercises targeting different central cognitive processes. However, the effects of different process-based training programs are rarely compared within equivalent experimental designs. OBJECTIVE Using a randomized double-blind controlled trial, this project aims to examine and compare the impact of 2 process-based interventions, inhibition and updating, on the cognition and brain of older adults. METHODS A total of 90 healthy older adults were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 training conditions: (1) inhibition (Stroop-like exercises), (2) updating (N-back-type exercises), and (3) control active (quiz game exercise). Training was provided in 12 half-hour sessions over 4 weeks. First, the performance gain observed will be measured on the trained tasks. We will then determine the extent of transfer of gain on (1) untrained tasks that rely on the same cognitive process, (2) complex working memory (WM) measurements hypothesized to involve 1 of the 2 trained processes, and (3) virtual reality tasks that were designed to mimic real-life situations that require WM. We will assess whether training increases cortical volume given that the volume of the cortex is determined by cortical area and thickness in regions known to be involved in WM or changes task-related brain activation patterns measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Dose effects will be examined by measuring outcomes at different time points during training. We will also determine whether individual characteristics moderate the effect of training on cognitive and cerebral outcomes. Finally, we will evaluate whether training reduces the age-related deficit on transfer and brain outcomes, by comparing study participants to a group of 30 younger adults. RESULTS The project was funded in January 2017; enrollment began in October 2017 and data collection was completed in April 2019. Data analysis has begun in June 2020 and the first results should be published by the end of 2020 or early 2021. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study will help understand the relative efficacy of 2 attentional control interventions on the cognition and the brain of older adults, as well as the moderating role of individual characteristics on training efficiency and transfer. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03532113; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03532113. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/20430.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Boujut
- Research Center, Institut universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Samira Mellah
- Research Center, Institut universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Maxime Lussier
- Research Center, Institut universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Samantha Maltezos
- Research Center, Institut universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Lynn Valeyry Verty
- Research Center, Institut universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Louis Bherer
- Research Center, Institut universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Research Center, Institut de cardiologie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Belleville
- Research Center, Institut universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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