Due to potential theoretical and societal implications, cognitive training has been one of the most influential topics in psychology and neuroscience. The assumption behind cognitive training is that ...one’s general cognitive ability can be enhanced by practicing cognitive tasks or intellectually demanding activities. The hundreds of studies published so far have provided mixed findings and systematic reviews have reached inconsistent conclusions. To resolve these discrepancies, we carried out several meta-analytic reviews. The results are highly consistent across all the reviewed domains: minimal effect on domain-general cognitive skills. Crucially, the observed between-study variability is accounted for by design quality and statistical artefacts. The cognitive-training program of research has showed no appreciable benefits, and other more plausible practices to enhance cognitive performance should be pursued.
General cognitive ability (GCA) has been consistently found to correlate with performance in cognitive tasks and complex activities such as playing music, board games, and video games.
In the past two decades, researchers have thus extensively investigated the effects of engaging in cognitive-training programs and intellectually demanding activities on GCA. The results have been mixed.
Several independent researchers have noticed that the between-study variability can be accounted for by the quality of the experimental design and statistical artifacts. Those studies including large samples and active control groups often report no training-related effects.
These findings show that practicing cognitive-training programs or intellectually demanding activities do not enhance GCA or any cognitive skill. At best, such interventions boost one’s performance in tasks similar to the trained task.
In the present meta-analysis, we examined the effect of cognitive training on the Executive Functions (EFs) of preschool children (age range: 3–6 years). We selected a final set of 32 studies from 27 ...papers with a total sample of 123 effect sizes. We found an overall effect of cognitive training for improving EF (g = 0.352; k = 123; p < 0.001), without significant difference between near and far transfer effects on executive domains. No significant additional outcome effects were found for behavioral- and learning-related outcomes. Cognitive training programs for preschoolers are significantly more effective for developmentally at-risk children (ADHD or low socio-economic status) than for children with typical development and without risks. Other significant moderators were: individual vs. group sessions and length of training. The number of sessions and computerized vs. non-computerized training were not significant moderators. This is the first demonstration of cognitive training for transfer effects among different executive processes. We discuss this result in relationship to the lower level of modularization of EFs in younger children.
ObjectivesTo determine the effect of computerised cognitive training (CCT) on improving cognitive function for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).DesignSystematic review and ...meta-analysis.Data sourcesPubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched through January 2018.Eligibility criteriaRandomised controlled trials comparing CCT with control conditions in those with MCI aged 55+ were included.Data extraction and synthesisTwo independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. Effect sizes (Hedges’ g and 95% CIs) were calculated and random-effects meta-analyses were performed where three or more studies investigated a comparable intervention and outcome. Heterogeneity was quantified using the I2 statistic.Results18 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analyses, involving 690 participants. Meta-analysis revealed small to moderate positive treatment effects compared with control interventions in four domains as follows: global cognitive function (g=0.23, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.44), memory (g=0.30, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.50), working memory (g=0.39, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.66) and executive function (g=0.20, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.43). Statistical significance was reached in all domains apart from executive function.ConclusionsThis meta-analysis provides evidence that CCT improves cognitive function in older people with MCI. However, the long-term transfer of these improvements and the potential to reduce dementia prevalence remains unknown. Various methodological issues such as heterogeneity in outcome measures, interventions and MCI symptoms and lack of intention-to-treat analyses limit the quality of the literature and represent areas for future research.
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of computerized cognitive training (CCT) on white matter (WM) neuroplasticity and neuropsychological performance.
A total of 128 community older adults ...(64.36 ± 6.14 years) were recruited and randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Participants in the intervention group received a home-based, multidomain, and adaptive CCT for 30 minutes, 2 days per week for 1 year. Neuropsychological assessments, diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and T1-weighted structural MRI were performed at the pre- and post-intervention visits.
Eighty-one of 128 participants (41 in the intervention group and 40 in the control group) completed the 1-year intervention, and 61 of them (27 in the intervention group and 34 in the control group) underwent MRI scans twice. After excluding attrition bias, a significant time-by-group interaction on the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT; F = 51.85, p < .001) was found, showing improvement in the intervention group and a decline in the control group. At the brain level, the intervention group exhibited increased axial diffusivity in the left posterior thalamic radiation, and this increase was significantly correlated with reduced SCWT reaction time (r = ‒0.42, p = .029). No significant time-by-group interactions were found for gray matter volume.
Our findings suggest that conducting multidomain adaptive CCT is an effective and feasible method to counteract cognitive decline in older adults, with WM neuroplasticity underpinning cognitive improvements. This study contributes to the understanding of the neural basis for the beneficial effect of CCT for older adults.
Due to the growing number of older adults with cognitive impairment, it is essential to delay the onset and progression of cognitive decline and promote a healthy lifestyle. The rapid growth of ...technology has considerably advanced the field of computerized cognitive interventions. Consequently, traditional cognitive interventions are being adapted and new multimedia systems are being developed to encourage health and independent living in old age. The primary objective of this review was to identify cognitive stimulation, training and rehabilitation programs aimed at older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, PubMed, and CORDIS databases were searched from January 2008 to August 2018. Two researchers reviewed the potential studies individually for eligibility. Studies of computerized cognitive interventions for people with dementia and cognitive impairment were included if they clearly described objectives, users and functioning. A systematic review of the studies was carried out, providing a qualitative synthesis of the features and study characteristics of each software. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria, and 11 different cognitive stimulation, training, and rehabilitation programs were identified. The studies found on cognitive intervention software indicate the existence of various technological programs for people with MCI and dementia. On the overall, the programs were aimed at people with different clinical conditions, able to create specific treatments and personalized training, optimized for portable devices, and user-friendly. However, the selected programs differ from each other in terms of objectives, usage mode and characteristics, even if they were used for the same purposes. Therefore, the information obtained in the review may be relevant to distinguish between programs and select the one that best suits each user. Thus, more information about the features and context of use is needed as well as more clinical studies to be able to compare among computerized cognitive programs.
Computerized cognitive training (CCT) is a scalable, well-tolerated intervention that has promise for slowing cognitive decline. The effectiveness of CCT is often affected by a lack of effective ...engagement. Mental fatigue is a the primary factor for compromising effective engagement in CCT, particularly in older adults at risk for dementia. There is a need for scalable, automated measures that can constantly monitor and reliably detect mental fatigue during CCT. Here, we develop and validate a novel Recurrent Video Transformer (RVT) method for monitoring real-time mental fatigue in older adults with mild cognitive impairment using their video-recorded facial gestures during CCT. The RVT model achieved the highest balanced accuracy (79.58%) and precision (0.82) compared to the prior models for binary and multi-class classification of mental fatigue. We also validated our model by significantly relating to reaction time across CCT tasks (Waldχ2=5.16,p=0.023). By leveraging dynamic temporal information, the RVT model demonstrates the potential to accurately measure real-time mental fatigue, laying the foundation for future CCT research aiming to enhance effective engagement by timely prevention of mental fatigue.
•Scalable real-time mental fatigue prediction from video-recorded facial expressions•Novel RVT model, combining a clip-wise transformer with a session-wise RNN classifier•New Gesture-Induced Fatigue Scores (GIFS) metric to quantify effective CCT engagement•Accurate rating of mental fatigue, objectively validated (using reaction time)
Toward a Science of Effective Cognitive Training Smid, Claire R.; Karbach, Julia; Steinbeis, Nikolaus
Current directions in psychological science : a journal of the American Psychological Society,
12/2020, Letnik:
29, Številka:
6
Journal Article
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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.
•Adolescents with ADHD are poorer than adolescents with no-ADHD in driving skills.•The ADHD group drive at speed and stop less at red lights and crosswalks.•Computerized cognitive training improves ...executive functioning in adolescents with ADHD.•Driving skills of both ADHD and non-ADHD adolescents were enhanced after training.•Computerized cognitive training may improve driving skills in the pre-driving stage.
Youth with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) face challenges with road safety. While executive functions are developing in all young drivers, those diagnosed with ADHD have deficits in executive functions that are known to be important in driving. The aims of this study were to compare the executive functions and driving skills of adolescents identified with and without ADHD, and to evaluate whether a computerized cognitive training program is associated with improvement in executive functions (i.e., attention, working memory, inhibition) and driving skills. The hypotheses were: a) compared to a group of adolescents without ADHD, executive functions and driving skills of adolescents with ADHD will be poorer at pre-training; and b) while both groups will improve their executive function and driving skills after receiving the computerized cognitive training, the improvement will be greater in the ADHD group.
This study used a quasi-experimental pre- and post-training control group design. Thirty adolescents aged 16 to 18 years with no prior driving experience participated in the study. Half (50 %) were diagnosed with ADHD and groups were matched by age. The Integrated Visual and Auditory (IVA-2) functional test was administered to insure proper inclusion in both groups. Twelve 45-minute sessions aimed at improving executive functioning were provided to both groups with the Captain’s Log cognitive training software. Executive functioning was measured with cognitive tasks: attention with the Continuous Performance Task (CPT), working memory with the N-Back task, and inhibition with a Go/No Go task. Driving skills were appraised with a virtual reality driving task measuring speed management (mean, variability, percentage over the speed limit) and stopping (deceleration, and frequency of stopping at red traffic lights and pedestrian crosswalks). Executive functioning and driving skills were measured at pre- and post-training. Two repeated measures MANOVA were used to test the research hypotheses.
Results from the IVA-2 confirmed group membership. At pre-training, the analyses showed that the ADHD group performed more poorly than the non-ADHD group on the CPT, N-Back, Go/No Go, and driving task (higher average driving speed, higher speed standard deviation and stopping less at red lights and crosswalks). At post-training, there was a significant improvement in executive functions and driving skills in both groups. Compared to the non-ADHD group, the cognitive training program was associated with stronger improvement in executive functions for the ADHD group. However, improvement in driving skills did not differ between groups.
Results confirmed previous findings that computerized cognitive training is associated with greater improvement in executive functioning in adolescents diagnosed with ADHD than in non-ADHD individuals. Results also suggest that the training may have some potential to improve driving skills of both adolescents with and without ADHD in the pre-driving stage. Future research is recommended to examine computerized cognitive training aiming more directly to improve on-road driving performance of young ADHD individuals.
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