Changes in Neural Activity Underlying Working Memory after Computerized Cognitive Training in Older Adults

Tusch, Erich; Alperin, Brittany R.; Ryan, Eliza; Holcomb, Phillip J.; Mohammed, Abdul H.; Daffner, Kirk R. · 2016 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2016.00255

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Summary

This study investigates the efficacy and neural mechanisms of computerized cognitive training (CCT) in older adults, specifically focusing on working memory (WM). While CCT is widely marketed to counter age-related cognitive decline, evidence regarding its effectiveness and underlying neurocognitive processes remains controversial. The researchers aimed to determine if adaptive CCT improves behavioral performance on untrained tasks (transfer effects) and to identify the neural changes associated with such improvements. They hypothesized that adaptive training would alter the task-demand/resource utilization curve, leading to decreased neural activation at low WM demands and increased activation at high demands, reflecting more efficient processing. Thirty-five older adults were randomly assigned to either an adaptive CCT group using the Cogmed program or an active control group. Both groups completed five weeks of training, consisting of five ~40-minute sessions per week. The adaptive group experienced continuously modulated task difficulty to maintain a 60% accuracy level, while the control group performed tasks at a constant, low difficulty. Before and after the intervention, participants underwent event-related potential (ERP) recordings while performing a visual n-back task with three levels of demand (0-back, 1-back, and 2-back). The study utilized the anterior P3a component as an index of attentional orienting and the posterior P3b as an index of categorization and WM updating. Behavioral analysis revealed no significant differences in performance between the adaptive and control groups, nor were there significant changes in performance from pre- to post-training within either group. However, ERP results showed distinct neural changes. The adaptive CCT group exhibited a training-related increase in the amplitude of both the anterior P3a and posterior P3b in response to target stimuli across all n-back tasks. In contrast, the active control group demonstrated a post-training decrease in anterior P3a amplitude. There were no significant changes in P3 latency. Crucially, larger overall P3 amplitudes were strongly associated with better task performance. Increased post-CCT P3 amplitude correlated with improved performance, a relationship that was particularly robust at high task loads. The findings suggest that adaptive WM training in older adults is associated with increased orienting of attention (indexed by P3a) and enhanced categorization/WM updating processes (indexed by P3b). Although the training did not directly improve behavioral performance on the untrained n-back task, the neural changes observed were linked to better performance outcomes. This indicates that adaptive CCT may enhance the neural resources available for working memory processes, particularly under high cognitive load, even in the absence of immediate behavioral gains. The study highlights the importance of examining neural mechanisms to understand the potential benefits of cognitive training beyond simple performance metrics.

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• cognitive capacity variation