Working memory span training improves working memory capacity / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To explore whether working memory span training can expand working memory capacity.Methods:A randomized controlled trial design was adopted and a total of 60 healthy college students were recruited and randomly divided into training group ( n=30, receiving adaptive training of spatial breadth task) and control group ( n=30, receiving non-adaptive training of low difficulty spatial breadth task). The cognitive behavior and event-related potential (ERP) data of all subjects when completing the change awareness task were collected before and after training.The SPSS 22.0 statistical software was used for data analysis. The differences between the training group and the control group before and after training were compared by repeated measurement analysis of variance. Results:Repeated measurement ANOVA showed that there were significant time and group interactions at the levels of cognitive behavior(K score, F=5.352, P=0.025) and ERP (CDA, F=4.644, P=0.037) levels. Further post test found that compared with pre-training (pre-test), the K-score ((0.51±0.93), (1.61±1.07), F=26.81, P<0.001) and CDA ((-1.49±1.07)μV, (-2.03±0.94)μV, F=4.731, P=0.041) of the training group increased significantly after training (post-test), and there was no significant difference in K-score and CDA of the control group before and after training (boh P>0.05). Conclusion:Working memory span task can be used as an effective training paradigm to improve working memory capacity.

Augmentative Effects of Working Memory Training on Behavioral Problems and Parental Stress in Medicated Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

OBJECTIVES: Executive dysfunctions including working memory deficit have been suggested to be one of the major neuropsychological etiologies of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the augmentative effects of working memory training on the behavioral problems, quality of life, and parental stress of medicated children with ADHD. METHODS: Twenty-five children with ADHD, aged 9 to 19 years, who were being treated with ADHD medication, were included. The participants were trained with a commercially available and computerized working memory program (Cogmed®) for 5 weeks without any alteration of their medication. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), KIDSCREEN-52 quality of life measure, and Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) were administered before training, and 4 weeks and 7 months after training, respectively. RESULTS: After completing the training, the anxiety/depression, social problems, thought problems, attention problems, aggressive behavior, and externalizing problems scores in the CBCL were significantly reduced. The score on the Parent-child dysfunctional interaction in the PSI-SF was also decreased. However, the scores related to the quality of life were not changed. These changes were still observed 7 months after the training. CONCLUSION: Cogmed working memory training can be a promising training option for the additional improvement of behavioral problems and parental stress in medicated children with ADHD.

Augmentative Effects of Working Memory Training on Clinical Symptoms and Neuropsychology in Medicated Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

OBJECTIVES: Executive dysfunction including working memory deficit has been suggested to be one of the major neuropsychological etiologies of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the augmentative effects of Cogmed working memory training on the symptoms and neurocognitive functions in medicated children and adolescents with ADHD. METHODS: Twenty-five children with ADHD, aged 7 to 19 years, taking ADHD medication participated in this study. The participants were trained for 5 weeks with a commercially available and computerized working memory program (Cogmed®) without any changes to their medication. The Korean version of the ADHD Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression Scale, and Comprehensive Attention Test were administered before training and 4 weeks and 7 months after training, respectively. RESULTS: After completing the training, the clinical symptoms and function, rated by the parents and clinician, were improved. In addition, the level of commission errors was significantly reduced in the selective attention (visual/auditory) task, sustained attention to response task, and flanker task. The untrained visuospatial short-term memory and working memory were also improved. These effects were still observed 7 months after the training. CONCLUSION: Cogmed working memory training can be a promising training option for the additional improvement of the symptoms and deficits in working memory and response inhibition in medicated children with ADHD.

Effect of Working Memory Training System on Working Memory Impairment after Brain Injury / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective To investigate the effects of Working Memory Training System on working memory impairment after brain injury. Methods From November, 2013 to March, 2015, 20 patients of brain injury with impairment of working memory were divided into training group (n=10) and control group (n=10). The training group was trained with the Working Memory Training System for four weeks, while the control group did not accept any cognitive rehabilitation. They were tested with digital forwards/backwards, space forwards/backwards, n-back test and Everyday Memory Questionnaire before and after training. Results All of the tests improved more in the training group than in the control group (Z>2.014, P<0.05), except that of digital forwards, as well as the score of Everyday Memory Questionnaire (Z=1.970, P=0.049). Conclusion Application of Working Memory Training System can improve the ability of memory in patients with brain injury, both the working memory and everyday memory.

Effects of Working Memory Training on Brain Functional Activition for Stroke Patients / 中国康复理论与实践

@#Objective To explore the effects of computerized working memory training on working memory and brain functional activition for stroke paitents. Methods 3 stroke patients voluntarily joined in the study, 10 healthy adults were recruited as control group. The patients received computerized working memory training for 4 weeks. Cognitive psychological tests (the n-back task, Stroop task and Raven`s Advanced Progressive Matrices task) and neuroimaging test (task- state functional magnetic resonance imaging) were administered before and after treatment. Results Working memory training significantly improved the working memory, fluid intelligence and attention for each trained patient (P<0.001), and could renovate the abnormal functional activity model and reorganize the functional brain network. Conclusion Computerized working memory could be used as an effective cognitive rehabilitation intervention for stroke patients.

Effects of Working Memory Training on Brain Functional Activition for Stroke Patients / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective To explore the effects of computerized working memory training on working memory and brain functional activi-tion for stroke paitents. Methods 3 stroke patients voluntarily joined in the study, 10 healthy adults were recruited as control group. The pa-tients received computerized working memory training for 4 weeks. Cognitive psychological tests (the n-back task, Stroop task and Raven`s Advanced Progressive Matrices task) and neuroimaging test (task-state functional magnetic resonance imaging) were administered before and after treatment. Results Working memory training significantly improved the working memory, fluid intelligence and attention for each trained patient (P<0.001), and could renovate the abnormal functional activity model and reorganize the functional brain network. Conclu-sion Computerized working memory could be used as an effective cognitive rehabilitation intervention for stroke patients.

Effect of working memory training task on visual contrast sensitivity for college students / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the influence on college students' contrast sensitivity how dual N-back working memory training task based on Gabor,and to provide new training method for improving the contrast sensitivity.Methods 42 college students were randomly divided into three groups:a control group (17 students) ; a working memory training group (13 students) ; and a Gabor orientation training group (12 students).The control group received no training,while the working memory training group and the Gabor orientation training group received N-back working memory training and Gabor training,respectively,over three weeks (5 days a week,approx.half an hour per day).The above-mentioned two training methods performed with the same visual stimulus,i.e.,the Gabor patch with a fixed spatial frequency and contrast.The contrast sensitivity of the 42 students was measured and recorded using OPTEC6500 before and after training.Results In the working memory training group,a salient gain in contrast sensitivity was observed after the training (before:(1.48 ± 0.26) log,after:(1.87 ± 0.13)log),with a statistically significant difference (t =-6.20,P ＜ 0.05),while both the Gabor orientation training group (before:(1.75 ± 0.19) log,after:(1.68 ± 0.30) log) and the control group (before:(1.67 ±0.25) log,after:(1.61 ± 0.26) log)) showed no statistically significant difference (P ＞ 0.05) in terms of contrast sensitivity.Conclusion N-back working memory training shows a positive effect on improving contrast sensitivity in Gabor identification training,and can be used as a means to improve contrast sensitivity.

Mental Exercises for Cognitive Function: Clinical Evidence / 예방의학회지

The purpose of this study was to examine the beneficial effects of a new cognitive intervention program designed for the care and prevention of dementia, namely Learning Therapy. The training program used systematized basic problems in arithmetic and Japanese language as training tasks. In study 1, 16 individuals in the experimental group and 16 in the control group were recruited from a nursing home. In both groups, all individuals were clinically diagnosed with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. In study 2, we performed a single-blind, randomized controlled trial in our cognitive intervention program of 124 community-dwelling seniors. In both studies, the daily training program using reading and arithmetic tasks was carried out approximately 5 days a week, for 15 to 20 minutes a day in the intervention groups. Neuropsychological measures were determined simultaneously in the groups both prior to and after six months of the intervention. The results of our investigations indicate that our cognitive intervention using reading and arithmetic problems demonstrated a transfer effect and they provide convincing evidence that cognitive training maintains and improves the cognitive functions of dementia patients and healthy seniors.

The influence of N-back working memory training with Gabor signal on visual function and fluid intelligence / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate influence on adults'visual function and fluid intelligence with N-back working memory training based on Gabor signal.MethodsControlling group including 13 adults had no training,training group including 14 adults received an eight-days training,half an hour a day.The stimulus was N-back training which has on improved Gabor signal with adjustable spatial frequency and contrast sensitivity.The contrast sensitivity and fluid intelligence were record using OPTEC 6500 and Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices before and after training,then the data was analyzed and processed by SPSS.ResultsContrast sensitivity:there was a siguificant different of the contrast sensitivity between pretest and posttest ( ( 1.93 ± 0.17 ) log,( 1.76 ±0.20 ) log) in training group ( t =-4.579,P =0.001 ).Fluid intelligence:there was a significant different of fluid intelligence between pretest and posttest( ( 129.9 ± 9.0 ) scores,( 113.7 4-16.0 ) scores ) in training group ( t =-4.373,P =0.001 ),and superior to controlling group,which also had a statistical significance (F =1.353,P =0.004).ConclusionThe method of N-back working memory training based on Gabor signal not only enhances working memory and fluid intelligence,but also improves the visual function effectively,and more various effect is acquired comparing to traditional training method.