Distractor filtering and task load in working memory training in healthy older adults

Scientific Reports, vol. 14, pp. 24583

Abstract

Filtering efficiency (FE) has been suggested as a task-related process of working memory (WM) in older adults, but the interaction of distractors with WM when implemented as a training to improve WM capacity is unclear. To investigate the effect of manipulations of WM and/or FE load in a multicomponent model-based WM training in improving WM capacity. 205 healthy older adults (129 women; aged 64.0 ± 8.3 years) were randomised into three WM training groups with manipulations of WM and FE load (high WM; low FE load, high WM; high FE load and low WM; high FE load). All groups underwent three online cognitive testing sessions and twelve 40-min training sessions over three weeks using the SmartBrain smartphone application. WM capacity was measured with complex span tasks and FE using the Change Detection Task. Linear mixed-effect models adjusted for age, sex, education and pre-baseline performance showed increased WM capacity post-training, but no difference between groups. While both distractors and WM are needed to improve WM in the absence of distraction, manipulations of the FE and WM load do not influence improvements following training.

Authors 5

1. Emanuel Geiter
   Affiliation as printed

   Medical Image Analysis Center (MIAC AG), Basel, Switzerland

2. Gresa Mazreku

   University of Basel · Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken Basel

   Affiliation as printed

   Research Platform Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

   University Psychiatric Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

3. Stefano Magon

   Roche (Switzerland)

   Affiliation as printed

   Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland

4. Dominique J.‐F. de Quervain

   University of Basel · Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken Basel

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

   Research Platform Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

   University Psychiatric Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

5. Priska Zuber Aachen Health Institute of Psychology Faculty of Social Sciences

   Leiden University · University of Basel

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. p.zuber@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

   Health, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333AK, Leiden, Netherlands. p.zuber@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

   Research Platform Molecular and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. p.zuber@fsw.leidenuniv.nl

   Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland