1
|
Ganesan K, Smid CR, Thompson A, Buchberger ES, Spowage J, Iqbal S, Phillips H, Steinbeis N. EXAMINING MECHANISMS OF CHILDHOOD COGNITIVE CONTROL. J Cogn 2023; 6:50. [PMID: 37636011 PMCID: PMC10453963 DOI: 10.5334/joc.314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood cognitive control is an important predictor for positive development, yet interventions seeking to improve it have provided mixed results. This is partly due to lack of clarity surrounding mechanisms of cognitive control, notably the role of inhibition and context monitoring. Here we use a randomized controlled trial to causally test the contributions of inhibition and context monitoring to cognitive control in childhood. Sixty children aged 6 to 9-years were assigned to three groups training either inhibition, context monitoring group or response speed using a gamified, highly variable and maximally adaptive training protocol. Whereas all children improved in the targeted cognitive functions over the course of training, pre-post data show that only the inhibition group improved on cognitive control. These findings serve as a first step in demonstrating the promise inhibition-based cognitive control interventions may hold.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keertana Ganesan
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL, London, WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - Claire R. Smid
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL, London, WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - Abigail Thompson
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL, London, WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - Elisa S. Buchberger
- Max-Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Joshua Spowage
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL, London, WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - Somya Iqbal
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL, London, WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - Harriet Phillips
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, UCL, London, WC1H 0AP, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cubillo A, Hermes H, Berger E, Winkel K, Schunk D, Fehr E, Hare TA. Intra-individual variability in task performance after cognitive training is associated with long-term outcomes in children. Dev Sci 2023; 26:e13252. [PMID: 35184350 PMCID: PMC10078259 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The potential benefits and mechanistic effects of working memory training (WMT) in children are the subject of much research and debate. We show that after five weeks of school-based, adaptive WMT 6-9 year-old primary school children had greater activity in prefrontal and striatal brain regions, higher task accuracy, and reduced intra-individual variability in response times compared to controls. Using a sequential sampling decision model, we demonstrate that this reduction in intra-individual variability can be explained by changes to the evidence accumulation rates and thresholds. Critically, intra-individual variability is useful in quantifying the immediate impact of cognitive training interventions, being a better predictor of academic skills and well-being 6-12 months after the end of training than task accuracy. Taken together, our results suggest that attention control is the initial mechanism that leads to the long-run benefits from adaptive WMT. Selective and sustained attention abilities may serve as a scaffold for subsequent changes in higher cognitive processes, academic skills, and general well-being. Furthermore, these results highlight that the selection of outcome measures and the timing of the assessments play a crucial role in detecting training efficacy. Thus, evaluating intra-individual variability, during or directly after training could allow for the early tailoring of training interventions in terms of duration or content to maximise their impact.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cubillo
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Henning Hermes
- DICE, Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf, Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Eva Berger
- Chair of Public and Behavioral Economics, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Kirsten Winkel
- Chair of Statistics and Econometrics, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Daniel Schunk
- Chair of Public and Behavioral Economics, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ernst Fehr
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Todd A Hare
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
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]
|
5
|
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.
Collapse
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,
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ureña N, Fernández N, Cárdenas D, Madinabeitia I, Alarcón F. Acute Effect of Cognitive Compromise during Physical Exercise on Self-Regulation in Early Childhood Education. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E9325. [PMID: 33322157 PMCID: PMC7764645 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17249325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Self-regulation (SR) in pre-schoolers is a strong predictor of different aspects of mental health and wellbeing. However, SR only recently has been examined concerning physical activity and its effects on cognitive performance. In the present study, 49 preschool children aged 4-5 years were submitted to classroom movement breaks (CMBs) of 15-min with different degrees of difficulty. Before beginning the intervention, SR (i.e., head, toes, knees and shoulders test, HTKS) and skill levels were assessed for tasks demand adjustment to individual resources and the counterbalanced assignment of the participants to the groups. Similarly, after the intervention, the performance on the HTKS was re-evaluated. There was a general intervention effect on the SR of pre-schoolers, regardless of the difficulty level of the task [F (3) = 11.683, p-value < 0.001, η2p = 0.438]. Nevertheless, it seems that only when CMBs stimulate the children cognitively with optimal difficulty, is it possible to obtain benefits. We recommend providing teachers with professional support when implementing physical activity breaks in their daily program to generate an individualized level of cognitive load that would allow children to reach the optimal challenge point.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Ureña
- Department of Faculty of Education, University of Murcia, Street Campus Universitario, Espinardo, 12, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (N.U.); (N.F.)
| | - Noelia Fernández
- Department of Faculty of Education, University of Murcia, Street Campus Universitario, Espinardo, 12, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (N.U.); (N.F.)
| | - David Cárdenas
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain;
- Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Iker Madinabeitia
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain;
- Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Francisco Alarcón
- Department of General and Specific Didactics, Faculty of Education, University of Alicante, 03690 Alicante, Spain;
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Smid CR, Karbach J, Steinbeis N. Toward a Science of Effective Cognitive Training. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/0963721420951599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A long-standing question in the behavioral sciences is whether cognitive functions can be improved through dedicated training. It is uncontested that training programs can lead to near transfer, meaning increased performance on untrained tasks involving similar cognitive functions. However, whether training also leads to far transfer, meaning increased performance on loosely related untrained tasks or even activities of daily living, is still hotly debated. Here, we review the extant literature and, in particular, the most recent meta-analytic evidence and argue that the ongoing crisis in the field of cognitive-training research may benefit from taking a more mechanistic approach to studying the effectiveness of training. We propose that (a) adopting a more rigorous theoretical framework that builds on a process-based account of training and transfer, (b) considering the role of individual differences in the responsiveness to training, and (c) drawing on Bayesian models of development may help to solve controversial issues in the field and lead the way to designing and implementing more effective training protocols.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claire R. Smid
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London
| | - Julia Karbach
- Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau
- Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA), Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Steinbeis
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abend R, Naim R, Pergamin-Hight L, Fox NA, Pine DS, Bar-Haim Y. Age Moderates Link Between Training Effects and Treatment Response to Attention Bias Modification Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 47:881-894. [PMID: 30426323 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-018-0494-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Attention bias modification treatment (ABMT) aims to reduce anxiety symptoms via practice on computerized attention training tasks. Despite evidence of efficacy, clinical effects appear heterogeneous. More research on ABMT mechanisms and moderators of treatment response is needed. Age is one potentially important moderator, as developmental differences in training effects may impact response. We examined developmental links between ABMT training effects and response in social anxiety disorder (SAD). We pooled data from two randomized controlled trials in treatment-seeking youths and adults with SAD (N = 99) that used identical ABMT methods. We first characterized learning effects associated with the eight-session ABMT training protocol. We then tested whether learning magnitude predicted the clinical (change in SAD symptoms) and cognitive (change in attention bias) responses to treatment. Finally, we tested whether age moderated the association between ABMT learning and treatment response. Results indicate that ABMT was associated with an incremental learning curve during the protocol, and that learning improved with age. Age further moderated the association between learning gains during the ABMT protocol and subsequent reduction in self-reported SAD symptoms, such that this association was stronger with age. These effects were not evident in bias scores or clinician ratings. Finally, pre-treatment SAD symptoms and bias scores predicted ABMT learning gains. This study highlights the links among age, learning processes, and clinical response to ABMT. These insights may inform attempts to increase the clinical efficacy of ABMT for anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rany Abend
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bldg. 15K, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Reut Naim
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, 3404D Benjamin Building, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Daniel S Pine
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bldg. 15K, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Yair Bar-Haim
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Giovannetti F, Pietto ML, Segretín MS, Lipina SJ. Impact of an Individualized Cognitive Training Intervention in Preschoolers from Poor Homes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17082912. [PMID: 32340155 PMCID: PMC7215356 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17082912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Over the last few decades, different interventions were shown to be effective in changing cognitive performance in preschoolers from poor homes undertaking tasks with executive demands. However, this evidence also showed that not all children included in the intervention groups equally increased their performance levels, which could be related to individual and contextual variability. The present study aimed to explore the impact of a computerized cognitive training intervention with lab-based tasks in preschoolers from Unsatisfied Basic Needs (UBN) homes under the consideration of their baseline performance. In the context of a randomized controlled trial design, different interventions were administered to children according to their baseline performance in a variety of cognitive tasks (i.e., executive attention, inhibitory control, working memory, and planning demands). The results showed different patterns of impact on performance depending on the experimental group, supporting the importance of considering individual and contextual differences in the design of interventions aimed at optimizing executive functions in poverty-impacted sample populations in early stages of development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Federico Giovannetti
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA), CEMIC-CONICET, Buenos Aires C1431FWO, Argentina; (M.L.P.); (M.S.S.)
- Correspondence: (F.G.); (S.J.L.)
| | - Marcos Luis Pietto
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA), CEMIC-CONICET, Buenos Aires C1431FWO, Argentina; (M.L.P.); (M.S.S.)
- Laboratorio de Inteligencia Artificial Aplicada, Instituto de Ciencias de la Computación, FCEyN-UBA- CONICET, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - María Soledad Segretín
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA), CEMIC-CONICET, Buenos Aires C1431FWO, Argentina; (M.L.P.); (M.S.S.)
| | - Sebastián Javier Lipina
- Unidad de Neurobiología Aplicada (UNA), CEMIC-CONICET, Buenos Aires C1431FWO, Argentina; (M.L.P.); (M.S.S.)
- Correspondence: (F.G.); (S.J.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Do Individual Differences Predict Change in Cognitive Training Performance? A Latent Growth Curve Modeling Approach. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-017-0049-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
11
|
Mechanisms Underlying N-back Training: Response Consistency During Training Influences Training Outcome. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-017-0042-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
12
|
Buttelmann F, Karbach J. Development and Plasticity of Cognitive Flexibility in Early and Middle Childhood. Front Psychol 2017; 8:1040. [PMID: 28676784 PMCID: PMC5476931 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility, the ability to flexibly switch between tasks, is a core dimension of executive functions (EFs) allowing to control actions and to adapt flexibly to changing environments. It supports the management of multiple tasks, the development of novel, adaptive behavior and is associated with various life outcomes. Cognitive flexibility develops rapidly in preschool and continuously increases well into adolescence, mirroring the growth of neural networks involving the prefrontal cortex. Over the past decade, there has been increasing interest in interventions designed to improve cognitive flexibility in children in order to support the many developmental outcomes associated with cognitive flexibility. This article provides a brief review of the development and plasticity of cognitive flexibility across early and middle childhood (i.e., from preschool to elementary school age). Focusing on interventions designed to improve cognitive flexibility in typically developing children, we report evidence for significant training and transfer effects while acknowledging that current findings on transfer are heterogeneous. Finally, we introduce metacognitive training as a promising new approach to promote cognitive flexibility and to support transfer of training.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frances Buttelmann
- Department of Psychology, Goethe University FrankfurtFrankfurt, Germany.,Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA),Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Developmental Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University JenaJena, Germany
| | - Julia Karbach
- Department of Psychology, Goethe University FrankfurtFrankfurt, Germany.,Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA),Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-LandauLandau, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Borella E, Carbone E, Pastore M, De Beni R, Carretti B. Working Memory Training for Healthy Older Adults: The Role of Individual Characteristics in Explaining Short- and Long-Term Gains. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:99. [PMID: 28381995 PMCID: PMC5360719 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore whether individual characteristics such as age, education, vocabulary, and baseline performance in a working memory (WM) task-similar to the one used in the training (criterion task)-predict the short- and long-term specific gains and transfer effects of a verbal WM training for older adults. Method: Four studies that adopted the Borella et al. (2010) verbal WM training procedure were found eligible for our analysis as they included: healthy older adults who attended either the training sessions (WM training group), or alternative activities (active control group); the same measures for assessing specific gains (on the criterion WM task), and transfer effects (nearest on a visuo-spatial WM task, near on short-term memory tasks and far on a measure of fluid intelligence, a measure of processing speed and two inhibitory measures); and a follow-up session. Results: Linear mixed models confirmed the overall efficacy of the training, in the short-term at least, and some maintenance effects. In the trained group, the individual characteristics considered were found to contribute (albeit only modestly in some cases) to explaining the effects of the training. Conclusions: Overall, our findings suggest the importance of taking individual characteristics and individual differences into account when examining WM training gains in older adults.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erika Borella
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Elena Carbone
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Pastore
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Rossana De Beni
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| | - Barbara Carretti
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova Padova, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Maraver MJ, Bajo MT, Gomez-Ariza CJ. Training on Working Memory and Inhibitory Control in Young Adults. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:588. [PMID: 27917117 PMCID: PMC5114277 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Different types of interventions have focused on trying to improve Executive Functions (EFs) due to their essential role in human cognition and behavior regulation. Although EFs are thought to be diverse, most training studies have targeted cognitive processes related to working memory (WM), and fewer have focused on training other control mechanisms, such as inhibitory control (IC). In the present study, we aimed to investigate the differential impact of training WM and IC as compared with control conditions performing non-executive control activities. Young adults were divided into two training (WM/IC) and two (active/passive) control conditions. Over six sessions, the training groups engaged in three different computer-based adaptive activities (WM or IC), whereas the active control group completed a program with low control-demanding activities that mainly involved processing speed. In addition, motivation and engagement were monitored through the training. The WM-training activities required maintenance, updating and memory search processes, while those from the IC group engaged response inhibition and interference control. All participants were pre- and post-tested in criterion tasks (n-back and Stroop), near transfer measures of WM (Operation Span) and IC (Stop-Signal). Non-trained far transfer outcome measures included an abstract reasoning test (Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices) and a well-validated experimental task (AX-CPT) that provides indices of cognitive flexibility considering proactive/reactive control. Training results revealed that strongly motivated participants reached higher levels of training improvements. Regarding transfer effects, results showed specific patterns of near transfer effects depending on the type of training. Interestingly, it was only the IC training group that showed far transfer to reasoning. Finally, all trained participants showed a shift toward a more proactive mode of cognitive control, highlighting a general effect of training on cognitive flexibility. The present results reveal specific and general modulations of executive control mechanisms after brief training intervention targeting either WM or IC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria J Maraver
- Department of Experimental Psychology - Research Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, University of Granada Granada, Spain
| | - M Teresa Bajo
- Department of Experimental Psychology - Research Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, University of Granada Granada, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
There is no convincing evidence that working memory training is NOT effective: A reply to Melby-Lervåg and Hulme (2015). Psychon Bull Rev 2016; 23:331-7. [PMID: 26518308 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-015-0967-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Our recent meta-analysis concluded that training on working memory can improve performance on tests of fluid intelligence (Au et al., Psychon Bull Rev, 22(2), 366-377, 2015). Melby-Lervåg and Hulme (Psychon Bull Rev, doi: 10.3758/s13423-015-0862-z ) challenge this conclusion on the grounds that it did not take into consideration baseline differences on a by-study level and that the effects were primarily driven by purportedly less rigorous studies that did not include active control groups. Their re-analysis shows that accounting for baseline differences produces a statistically significant, but considerably smaller, overall effect size (g = 0.13 vs g = 0.24 in Au et al.), which loses significance after excluding studies without active controls. The present report demonstrates that evidence of impact variation by the active/passive nature of control groups is ambiguous and also reveals important discrepancies between Melby-Lervåg and Hulme's analysis and our original meta-analysis in terms of the coding and organization of data that account for the discrepant effect sizes. We demonstrate that there is in fact no evidence that the type of control group per se moderates the effects of working memory training on measures of fluid intelligence and reaffirm the original conclusions in Au et al., which are robust to multiple methods of calculating effect size, including the one proposed by Melby-Lervåg and Hulme.
Collapse
|
16
|
Moreau D, Waldie KE. Developmental Learning Disorders: From Generic Interventions to Individualized Remediation. Front Psychol 2016; 6:2053. [PMID: 26793160 PMCID: PMC4709759 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental learning disorders affect many children, impairing their experience in the classroom and hindering many aspects of their life. Once a bleak sentence associated with life-long difficulties, several learning disorders can now be successfully alleviated, directly benefiting from promising interventions. In this review, we focus on two of the most prevalent learning disorders, dyslexia and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Recent advances have refined our understanding of the specific neural networks that are altered in these disorders, yet questions remain regarding causal links between neural changes and behavioral improvements. After briefly reviewing the theoretical foundations of dyslexia and ADHD, we explore their distinct and shared characteristics, and discuss the comorbidity of the two disorders. We then examine current interventions, and consider the benefits of approaches that integrate remediation within other activities to encourage sustained motivation and improvements. Finally, we conclude with a reflection on the potential for remediation programs to be personalized by taking into account the specificities and demands of each individual. The effective remediation of learning disorders is critical to modern societies, especially considering the far-reaching ramifications of successful early interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Moreau
- Centre for Brain Research, School of Psychology, The University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Karen E Waldie
- Centre for Brain Research, School of Psychology, The University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Investigating the effectiveness of working memory training in the context of Personality Systems Interaction theory. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2015. [PMID: 26208631 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-015-0687-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has shown mixed results for the ability of working memory training to improve fluid intelligence. The aims of this study were first to replicate these improvements, and then to explore the moderating role of Personality Systems Interaction (PSI) personality factors. By using three different training methods and an active-contact control group, we examined the effects of 25 days of cognitive training on 142 participants. After examining our results in context of PSI theory, we found that different training methods yielded different IQ gains in participants, depending on their personality styles. In addition, these correlations suggested a meaningful pattern, indicating that PSI theory may be able to account for the different outcomes of cognitive training studies. Our findings may facilitate tailor-made cognitive training interventions in the future, and can contribute to explaining the mechanisms underlying the far transfer of working memory training to fluid intelligence.
Collapse
|