Does working memory training enhance cognitive function in healthy older adults?

From the Guidelines

Working memory training is not recommended as an effective method for improving cognitive function in older adults, as the current evidence suggests that it does not yield significant improvements in far-transfer abilities, such as intelligence or real-world cognitive skills 1. The study "do 'brain-training' programs work?" 1 investigated the efficacy of working memory training in improving cognitive function, and the findings suggest that while there may be near transfer to similar verbal and visuospatial working memory tasks, there is no evidence to support far-transfer abilities. The methodology of this study involved a meta-analysis of numerous studies from the working memory training literature, and the results are consistent with earlier reviews, indicating a lack of significant improvements in nonverbal ability, verbal ability, reading comprehension, word decoding, and arithmetic. Key points of the study methodology include:

• A meta-analysis of studies from the working memory training literature
• Examination of near transfer to similar verbal and visuospatial working memory tasks
• Investigation of far-transfer abilities, such as intelligence or real-world cognitive skills
• Use of mediation analyses to examine the relationship between working memory gains and far-transfer abilities In contrast, other studies, such as "optimal dose and type of exercise to improve cognitive function in older adults: a systematic review and bayesian model-based network meta-analysis of rcts" 1 and "recommendations of the 5th canadian consensus conference on the diagnosis and treatment of dementia" 1, suggest that physical exercise, including aerobic and resistance training, may be an effective method for improving cognitive function in older adults. However, the most recent and highest quality study, "do 'brain-training' programs work?" 1, takes precedence in guiding clinical decision-making, and therefore, working memory training is not recommended as an effective method for improving cognitive function in older adults.

From the Research

Study Methodology

The study "The Long-Term Efficacy of Working Memory Training in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 22 Randomized Controlled Trials" 2 used the following methodology:

• A systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar was conducted.
• Random-effects models were used to quantitatively synthesize the existing data.
• Twenty-two eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis.
• The mean participant age ranged from 63.77 to 80.1 years.
• The study explored the long-term effects of working memory training in healthy older adults on working memory subdomains and abilities outside the working memory domain assessed in randomized controlled studies.

Key Findings

The study found that:

• Working memory training exerted robust long-term effects on enhancing the working memory system and improving processing speed and reasoning in late adulthood.
• The meta-synthesized long-term effects on updating, shifting, inhibition, and maintenance were significant.
• The results suggest that working memory training can be an effective way to improve cognitive function in healthy older adults.

Comparison with Other Studies

Similar findings were reported in other studies, such as:

• "Is Computerized Working Memory Training Effective in Healthy Older Adults? Evidence from a Multi-Site, Randomized Controlled Trial" 3, which found that computerized working memory training was effective in improving working memory and processing speed in healthy older adults.
• "Working Memory Capacity as a Predictor of Cognitive Training Efficacy in the Elderly Population" 4, which found that working memory capacity was a significant predictor of cognitive training efficacy in older adults.
• "Working memory training revisited: A multi-level meta-analysis of n-back training studies" 5, which found that working memory training had a medium-sized transfer effect on untrained n-back tasks, but small effects on other cognitive tasks.