Richmond et al.4242. Richmond LL, Morrison AB, Chein JM, Olson IR. Working memory training and transfer in older adults. Psychol Aging. 2011;26(4):813-22. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0023631
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/...
|
To investigate gains in WM through WM training in older adults and whether near- and far-transfer effects to other measures exist. |
n=40; age=60-80; intervention: individual, 4-5 weeks, 4-5 sessions of 20-30 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=21), active control (n=19); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: the training group showed the ability to inhibit the repetition of items already retrieved from memory and in a measure of attention (self-report);
-
Transfer effects: short-term memory and WM;
-
Long-term effects: not mentioned.
|
Irigaray et al.5050. Irigaray TQ, Gomes Filho I, Schneider RH. Efeitos de um treino de atenção, memória e funções executivas na cognição de idosos saudáveis. Psicol Reflex Crít. 2012;25(1):188-202. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79722012000100023
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1590/...
|
To verify the effects of an attention, memory, and executive functions training intervention on the cognition of healthy older adults. |
n=76; age=60-89; intervention: group based, 12 weeks, 1 session of 90 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=38), passive control (n=38); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: better performance in tasks of attention, WM, language (inferences and spontaneous writing), constructional praxis, problem-solving, and executive functions;
-
Transfer effects: not mentioned;
-
Long-term effects: not mentioned.
|
van Muijden et al.5656. van Muijden J, Band GPH, Hommel B. Online games training aging brains: limited transfer to cognitive control functions. Front Hum Neurosci. 2012;6:221. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00221
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/...
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To test whether CCT with online games can improve cognitive control in healthy older adults. |
n=72; age=60-77; intervention: group based, 7 weeks, 1 session of 30 min per day; study groups: online games (n=53), active control: documentary (n=19); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: the study as a whole provides only modest support for the potential of video game training to improve cognitive control in healthy older adults;
-
Transfer effects: inhibition and inductive reasoning;
-
Long-term effects: not mentioned.
|
Anguera et al.2424. Anguera JA, Boccanfuso J, Rintoul JL, Al-Hashimi O, Faraji F, Janowich J, et al. Video game training enhances cognitive control in older adults. Nature. 2013;501(7465):97-101. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12486
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1038/...
|
To examine whether older adults participating in CCT (neuroRacer game) in multitasking mode showed improvement in multitasking performance on the game and in cognitive control abilities. |
n=46; age=60-85; intervention: individual, 4 weeks, 3 sessions of 60 min per week; study groups: MTT (n=16), active control (n=15), passive control (n=15); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: 6 months. |
-
Primary outcome: older adults improved multitasking performance;
-
Transfer effects: WM (delayed recognition task with and without distraction) and sustained attention;
-
Long-term effects: yes, after 6 months.
|
Borella et al.1313. Borella E, Carretti B, Zanoni G, Zavagnin M, De Beni R. Working memory training in old age: an examination of transfer and maintenance effects. Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2013;28(4):331-47. https://doi.org/10.1093/arclin/act020
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/...
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To examine whether verbal WM training can improve WM performance in old-old individuals and to what extent it can promote and maintain transfer effects on tasks not trained directly. |
n=36; age=75-87; intervention: individual, 2 weeks, 3 sessions of 60 min; study groups: verbal WM training (n=18), active control (n=18); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: after 8 months. |
-
Primary outcome: there was improvement in verbal memory performance;
-
Transfer effects: inhibitory mechanisms;
-
Long-term effects: yes, after 8 months.
|
McAvinue et al.4040. McAvinue LP, Golemme M, Castorina M, Tatti E, Pigni FM, Salomone S, et al. An evaluation of a working memory training scheme in older adults. Front Aging Neurosci. 2013;5:20. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2013.00020
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/...
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To examine the efficacy of a WM training scheme to improve WM capacity in a group of older adults. |
n=36; age=64-79; intervention: individual, 5 weeks, 5 sessions of 30 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=19), active control (n=17); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: 3 and 6 months. |
-
Primary outcome: there was expansion of short-term auditory memory, but no improvement was identified in WM overall;
-
Transfer effects: episodic long-term memory;
-
Long-term effects: yes, after 3 and 6 months.
|
Netto et al.5454. Netto TM, Greca DV, Zimmermann N, Oliveira CR, Teixeira-Leite HM, Fonseca RP, et al. Efeito de um programa de treinamento da memória de trabalho em adultos idosos. Psicol Reflex Crit. 2013;26(1):122-35. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79722013000100014
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1590/...
|
To examine the effects of a WM training program on processing of WM and other related cognitive functions in healthy older adults. |
n=20; age=60-80; intervention: group based, 12 weeks, 1 session of 90 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=9), passive control (n=11); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: significant improvements were found in focused attention, learning, and short-term and episodic memory in the training group. In the control group, improvements were found, in a more modest way, in concentrated attention and episodic memory;
-
Transfer effects: episodic memory;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Borella et al.2929. Borella E, Carretti B, Cantarella A, Riboldi F, Zavagnin M, De Beni R. Benefits of training visuospatial working memory in young-old and old-old. Dev Psychol. 2014;50(3):714-27. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034293
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/...
|
To test the efficacy of visuospatial WM training for transfer effects and maintenance of these effects in young-old and old-old. |
n=80; age=65-84; intervention: individual, 2 weeks, 3 sessions of 60 min; study groups: WM training (n=20, 65-75 years; n=20, 76-84 years), active control (n=20, 65-75 years; n=20, 76-84 years); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: after 8 months. |
-
Primary outcome: participants in the training group showed improvement in visuospatial WM performance;
-
Transfer effects: Verbal WM;
-
Long-term effects: transfer effects were not maintained after 8 months.
|
Stamenova et al.4545. Stamenova V, Jennings JM, Cook SP, Walker LAS, Smith AM, Davidson PSR. Training recollection in healthy older adults: clear improvements on the training task, but little evidence of transfer. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014;8:898. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00898.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/...
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To examine the potential transfer effects of a recollection training paradigm and determine which cognitive functions are predictors of training effects. |
n=51; mean age=68; intervention: individual, 2 weeks, 3 sessions of 20-30 min per week; study groups: recollection training n=30), active control (n=21); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: 4 weeks. |
-
Primary outcome: there were quite significant training gains with the trained recall tasks, but the transfer effects were relatively weak;
-
Transfer effects: verbal learning, visuospatial memory, and WM (weak);
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Stepankova et al.4646. Stepankova H, Lukavsky J, Buschkuehl M, Kopecek M, Ripova D, Jaeggi SM. The malleability of working memory and visuospatial skills: a randomized controlled study in older adults. Dev Psychol. 2014;50(4):1049-59. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034913
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/...
|
To examine the effects of a CCT WM intervention on nontrained measures of WM and visuospatial skills in healthy older adults. |
n=65; age: 65-74 years; intervention: individual, 5 weeks, 2 or 4 sessions of 25 min per week; study groups: low-frequency WM CCT (n=20), high-frequency WM CCT (n=20), passive control: (n=25); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
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Primary outcome: improvement was found in the performance of older adults in training with the N-Back task and transfer effects;
-
Transfer effects: WM and visuospatial skills;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Strenziok et al.4747. Strenziok M, Parasuraman R, Clarke E, Cisler DS, Thompson JC, Greenwood PM. Neurocognitive enhancement in older adults: comparison of three cognitive training tasks to test a hypothesis of training transfer in brain connectivity. Neuroimage. 2014;85 Pt:1027-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.07.069.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/...
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To test whether CT provides far-transfer effects to attentional control demands mediated by the dorsal attention network and trained sensory cortex. |
n=42; age: 69.70±6.9; interventions: individual, 6 weeks, 6 sessions of 60 min per week; study groups using games: BF (n=14), SF (n=14), RON (n=14); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: results showed that auditory perception CT (BF) may be particularly effective as an intervention against cognitive decline;
-
Transfer effects: problem-solving and reasoning;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Zimmermann et al.5757. Zimmermann N, Netto TM, Amodeo MT, Ska B, Fonseca RP. Working memory training and poetry-based stimulation programs: are there differences in cognitive outcome in healthy older adults? NeuroRehabilitation. 2014;35(1):159-70. https://doi.org/10.3233/NRE-141104
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3233/...
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To determine whether differences in older adults exist between structured WM training program and poetry-based stimulation program. |
n=14; age=62-74; intervention: group, 6 weeks, 12 sessions of 120 min; study groups: WM training (n=8), active control: poetry (n=6); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
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Primary outcome: the WM group improved performance on measures of WM, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, while the Poetry group improved on verbal fluency and narrative speech tasks;
-
Transfer effects: executive functions;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Zinke et al.4949. Zinke K, Zeintl M, Rose NS, Putzmann J, Pydde A, Kliegel M. Working memory training and transfer in older adults: effects of age, baseline performance, and training gains. Dev Psychol. 2014;50(1):304-15. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032982
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/...
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To investigate the effects of a process-based training intervention in a mixed sample of older adults and explore possible moderators of training and transfer effects. |
n=80; age=65-95; intervention: individual, 3 weeks, 3 sessions of 30 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=40), passive control (n=40); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: 9 months. |
-
Primary outcome: there was significant improvement for the three trained tasks (visual-spatial, verbal and executive WM);
-
Transference effects: verbal and fluid intelligence;
-
Long-term effects: yes, after 9 months.
|
Basak and O’Connell2727. Basak C, O’Connell MA. To switch or not to switch: role of cognitive control in working memory training in older adults. Front Psychol. 2016;7:230. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00230
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/...
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To assess the role of cognitive control in WM training, comparing two different strategies for optimizing cognition in older adults during a short period of time. |
n=46; age=60-86 years; intervention: individual, 2 weeks, 5 sessions of 60 min; study groups: predictable WM training (n=22), unpredictable WM training (n=24); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: after 8 weeks. |
-
Primary outcome: there were significant improvements in WM and episodic memory;
-
Transfer effects: episodic memory;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Binder et al.2828. Binder JC, Martin M, Zöllig J, Röcke C, Mérillat S, Eschen A, et al. Multi-domain training enhances attentional control. Psychol Aging. 2016;31(4):390-408. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000081
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/...
|
To test whether multidomain CT promotes improvement in high-level executive functions and in each component function of CT, and also increase the likelihood of overlap with measures of transfer and demands of ADLs in older adults. |
n=84; age=64-75; intervention: individual, 10 weeks, 5 sessions of 45-60 min per week; study groups: imbibition (n=22), visuomotor function (n=21), spatial navigation (n=20); multidomain (inhibition, visuomotor function and spatial navigation, n=21); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: 6 months. |
-
Primary outcome: training promoted improvements in executive functions, distal transfer, and attention;
-
Transfer effects: executive attention control;
-
Long-term effects: yes, after 6 months.
|
Cantarella et al.3333. Cantarella A, Borella E, Carretti B, Kliegel M, de Beni R. Benefits in tasks related to everyday life competences after a working memory training in older adults. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2017;32(1):86-93. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.4448
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/...
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To assess the efficacy of verbal WM training in older adults, in terms of specific gain and transfer effects to everyday life competences and reasoning skills. |
n=36; age=65-75; intervention: individual, 6 weeks, 2 sessions of 30-40 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=18), active control (n=18); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: there were benefits in trained skills;
-
Transfer effects: everyday tasks and logical reasoning;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Cujzek and Vranic5858. Cujzek M, Vranic A. Computerized tabletop games as a form of a video game training for old-old. Neuropsychol Dev Cogn B Aging Neuropsychol Cogn. 2017;24(6):631-48. https://doi.org/10.1080/13825585.2016.1246649
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/...
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To investigate whether practice on computerized card games would transfer to performance of old-old on tasks measuring the cognitive skills required by this cognitively stimulating activity. |
n=29; intervention: individual, 6 weeks, 2 sessions of 30 min per week; study groups: digital card games (n=15, age =72.60±9.83), active control: digital dice game (n=14, age= 73.71±9.97); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: 4 months. |
-
Primary outcome: there were improvements in reasoning skills were only in the training group. Traditional board games are perceived as much more enjoyable than traditional strategy training and extensive practice tasks, and this pleasure can ensure greater motivation and adherence of long-lived elderly to video game training;
-
Transfer effects: not mentioned;
-
Long-term effects: yes, after 4 months.
|
Heinzel et al.7171. Heinzel S, Lorenz RC, Pelz P, Heinz A, Walter H, Kathmann N, et al. Neural correlates of training and transfer effects in working memory in older adults. Neuroimage. 2016;134:236-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.068
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/...
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To investigate whether changes induced by training on neuronal activation in older adults reflect increases in processing efficiency, whether transfer effects accompany the overlap of neuronal activation and whether this overlap is related to near- and far-behavioral effects. |
n=29; age=60-75; intervention: individual, 4 weeks, 3 sessions of 45 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=15), passive control (n=14); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: WM performance improved with training;
-
Transfer effects: executive functions, processing speed, and fluid intelligence;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Ji et al.5151. Ji Y, Wang J, Chen T, Du X, Zhan Y. Plasticity of inhibitory processes and associated far-transfer effects in older adults. Psychol Aging. 2016;31(5):415-29. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000102
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/...
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To determine whether inhibition training can stimulate differential plasticity in inhibitory processes (access, exclusion, and contention) and lead to far-transfer to WM skills and Gf related to inhibition, and also to other less related skills. |
n=34; age=61-81; intervention: group based, 4 weeks, 3 sessions of 45-60 min per week; study groups: inhibition training (n=18), active control (n=16); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: after 3 months. |
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Primary outcome: there were performance improvements in all three inhibitory processes trained;
-
Transfer effects: process of exclusion and fluid intelligence;
-
Long-term effects: yes, after 3 months.
|
Loosli et al.5353. Loosli SV, Falquez R, Unterrainer JM, Weiller C, Rahm B, Kaller CP. Training of resistance to proactive interference and working memory in older adults: a randomized double-blind study. Int Psychogeriatr. 2016;28(3):453-67. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610215001519
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1017/...
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To investigate whether resistance to PI can be effectively improved by WM training with different PI demands. |
n=25; age=68.8±5.5; intervention: group, 2 weeks, 4 sessions of 30 min per week; study groups: high PI (n=14), low PI (n=11); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: after 2 months. |
-
Primary outcome: there was an overall improvement in WM performance in both training groups. Resistance to PI can be reduced in the elderly by short, repetitive WM training;
-
Transfer effects: not investigated;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Toril et al.5959. Toril P, Reales JM, Mayas J, Ballesteros S. Video game training enhances visuospatial working memory and episodic memory in older adults. Front Hum Neurosci. 2016;10:206. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00206.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/...
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To investigate the effects of videogame training on visuospatial WM and episodic memory of health older adults. |
n=39; intervention: individual, 7-8 weeks, 15 sessions of 60 min; study groups: memory training (n=19, 70±6.73), passive control (n=20, 73.2±6.5); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: 3 months. |
-
Primary outcome: there was an improvement in performance in all games trained, mainly in visuospatial WM assessment tasks, but also episodic memory and short-term memory;
-
Transfer effects: episodic memory;
-
Long-term effects: yes, after 3 months.
|
Wilkinson and Yang4848. Wilkinson AJ, Yang L. Long-term maintenance of inhibition training effects in older adults: 1- and 3-year follow-up. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2016;71(4):622-9. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbu179
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/...
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To examine long-term maintenance of inhibition training benefits in older adults. |
n=56; age=60-84; intervention: individual, 2 weeks, 3 sessions of 30 min per week; study groups: inhibition training with feedback (n=14), with summarized feedback (n=14), without feedback (n=14), passive control (n=14); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: 1 year (n=33) and 3 years (n=26). |
-
Primary end point: the results demonstrate the durability of gains from inhibition training in the elderly for a period of up to 3 years;
-
Transfer effects: not investigated;
-
Long-term effects: yes, within 1 and 3 years.
|
Borella et al.3232. Borella E, Carretti B, Sciore R, Capotosto E, Taconnat L, Cornoldi C, et al. Training working memory in older adults: is there an advantage of using strategies? Psychol Aging. 2017;32(2):178-91. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000155
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/...
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To test the efficacy of adaptive WM in older adults and compare its effects with same WM training together with the use of strategy based on construction of visual mental images. |
n=54; age=65-75; intervention: individual, 2 weeks, 3 sessions of 30-40 min; study groups: WM (n=18), WM + construction of visual mental image strategy (n=18) and active control (n=18); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: the combination of teaching an effective strategy with a WM training procedure increases WM performance, encouraging the use of efficient strategies that are flexibly implemented;
-
Transfer effects: verbal and visuospatial WM, short-term memory, processing and reasoning speed;
-
Long-term effects: yes, after 6 months.
|
Guye and von Bastian3535. Guye S, von Bastian CC. Working memory training in older adults: Bayesian evidence supporting the absence of transfer. Psychol Aging. 2017;32(8):732-46. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000206
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/...
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To investigate training gains and transfer effects after a process-based WM training intervention in older adults. |
n=142; age=65-80; intervention: individual, 5 weeks, 5 sessions of 30-45 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=68), active control: visual search training (n=74); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
|
Heinzel et al.3636. Heinzel S, Rimpel J, Stelzel C, Rapp MA. Transfer effects to a multimodal dual-task after working memory training and associated neural correlates in older adults - a pilot study. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017;11:85. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00085
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/...
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To investigate whether single-task WM training and training-related alterations in neural activity might support performance in a dual-task setting, thus assessing transfer effects to higher order control processes in the context of dual-task coordination. |
n=38; age=60-72; intervention: individual, 4 weeks, 3 sessions of 45 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=18), passive control (n=16); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: the results indicate that 12 N-Back numerical training sessions can improve performance in the trained task;
-
Transfer effects: performance on a dual task;
-
Long-term effects: Not investigated.
|
Payne and Stine-Morrow4141. Payne BR, Stine-Morrow EAL. The effects of home-based cognitive training on verbal working memory and language comprehension in older adulthood. Front Aging Neurosci. 2017;9:256. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00256
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/...
|
To examine the effects of a CCT on changes in verbal WM and language comprehension in healthy older adults. |
n=41; age=61-75; intervention: individual, 3 weeks, 5 sessions of 30 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=22), active control (n=19); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: WM training participants showed improvements in untrained verbal WM tasks and selective improvements in untrained dimensions of language, including sentence memory, verbal fluency, and understanding of syntactically ambiguous sentences. The results suggest that WM is plastic even in old age, at least in the short term;
-
Transfer effects: untrained verbal measures of WM;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Degé and Kerkovius6161. Degé F, Kerkovius K. The effects of drumming on working memory in older adults. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2018;1423(1):242-50. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13685
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/...
|
To investigate the effect of music training on WM (verbal, visual, and central executive processing). |
n=24; age=77±4.33; intervention: group based, 15 weeks, 1 session of 60 min per week; study groups: musical training program (n=8), active control (n=7), passive control (n=9); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: the study provides preliminary support for the conclusion that musical training (percussion and singing) may have an influence on verbal and visual WM in old age;
-
Transfer effects: not investigated;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Lebedev et al.3737. Lebedev AV, Nilsson J, Lövdén M. Working memory and reasoning benefit from different modes of large-scale brain dynamics in healthy older adults. J Cogn Neurosci. 2018;30(7):1033-46. https://doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_01260
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1162/...
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To assess whether solving complex reasoning problems involves the same cognitive processes as solving WM tasks. |
n=53; age=65-75; intervention: individual, 4 weeks, 5 sessions of 40 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=27), active control: perceptual correspondence (n=26); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: WM training promoted little improvement in complex reasoning. The use of WM training interventions to try to achieve effects that carry over to broader cognition should be reconsidered;
-
Transfer effects: none;
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Simon et al.4444. Simon SS, Tusch ES, Feng NC, Håkansson K, Mohammed AH, Daffner KR. Is computerized working memory training effective in healthy older adults? Evidence from a multi-site, randomized controlled trial. J Alzheimers Dis. 2018;65(3):931-49. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-180455
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3233/...
|
To evaluate the efficacy of CCT focused on WM in healthy older adults. |
n=82; age=65-89; intervention: individual, 5 weeks, 5 sessions of 60 approx. 40 min per week; study groups: CCT adaptive WM (n=41), active control: CCT nonadaptive WM (n=41), assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: adapted WM CCT appears more effective than nonadapted training in older adults of different cultural backgrounds. There was evidence of improvement in trained tasks and in an untrained task of WM and processing speed;
-
Transfer effects: distal transfer in WM (low);
-
Long-term effects: not investigated.
|
Weicker et al.5555. Weicker J, Hudl N, Frisch S, Lepsien J, Mueller K, Villringer A, et al. WOME: theory-based working memory training - a placebo-controlled, double-blind evaluation in older adults. Front Aging Neurosci. 2018;10:247. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00247
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/...
|
To evaluate the efficacy of a CCT WM training program (WOME). |
n=60; age=60-79; intervention: group based, 4 weeks, 3 sessions of 45 min per week; study groups: high-level WM (WOME: n=20), active control: low level WM (n=20), passive control (n=20); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: after 3 months. |
-
Primary outcome: WOME led to a significant improvement in WM performance on an untrained transfer task and there was evidence of a positive impact on everyday life;
-
Transfer effects: WM (low);
-
Long-term effects: there were no long-term effects after 3 months.
|
Borella et al.3030. Borella E, Cantarella A, Carretti B, De Lucia A, De Beni R. Improving everyday functioning in the old-old with working memory training. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2019;27(9):975-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2019.01.210
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/...
|
To assess gains related to WM training, in short and long term in abilities required in everyday life, and in cognitive measures in old-old adults. |
n= 32; age=75-85, intervention: individual, 2 weeks, 3 sessions of 30-40 min; study groups: WM training (n=8), active control (n=14); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
-
Primary outcome: there were specific gains in the CWMS task and in the TIADL in the short term;
-
Transfer effects: solving everyday problems;
-
Long-term effects: yes, at follow-up, gains in CWMS were maintained after 9 months.
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Borella et al.3131. Borella E, Carretti B, Meneghetti C, Carbone E, Vincenzi M, Madonna JC, et al. Is working memory training in older adults sensitive to music? Psychol Res. 2019;83(6):1107-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-017-0961-8.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/...
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To examine whether music listening together with WM training in healthy older adults could enhance short- and long-term gains in transfer effects of training. |
n=72; age= 65-75; intervention: individual, 2 weeks, 3 sessions of 60 min per week; study groups: Mozart WM training (n=19), Albinoni WM training (n=19), white noise WM training (n=16), active control (n=18); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: after 6 months. |
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Primary outcome: regardless of the listening condition, the trained groups outperformed the control group. The Albinoni group showed greater short-term specific training gains on the CWMS task;
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Transfer effects: reasoning;
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Long-term effects: yes, after 6 months.
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Matysiak et al.3939. Matysiak O, Kroemeke A, Brzezicka A. Working memory capacity as a predictor of cognitive training efficacy in the elderly population. Front Aging Neurosci. 2019;11:126. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00126
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/...
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To investigate the impact of WM training on variety of cognitive tasks performance among older adults and the impact of the initial WM capacity on the training efficiency. |
n=84; age=66; intervention: individual, 5 weeks, 5 sessions per week; study groups: WM training (n=42), active control: memory training (n=42); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
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Primary outcome: there were improvements in WM training and memory in all cognitive tests, except for inhibition and short-term memory;
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Transfer effects: N-back task (WM and attention) in the elderly;
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Long-term effects: not investigated.
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Schmicker et al.4343. Schmicker M, Menze I, Koch D, Rumpf U, Müller P, Pelzer L, et al. Decision-making deficits in elderly can be alleviated by attention training. J Clin Med. 2019;8(8):1131. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8081131
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/...
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To examine whether value-based decision-making can be improved in the elderly by CT. |
n=31; age=60-75; intervention: group based, 5 days, 1 session of 45 min per day; study groups: attention training (n=12), WM training (n=10) and passive control (n=9); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
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Primary outcome: attentional filter training improves the performance of older adults in a decision-making task by alleviating disadvantageous behaviors. WM training provided improvement in WM;
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Transfer effects: none;
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Long-term effects: not investigated.
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Wong et al.6363. Wong PCM, Ou J, Pang CWY, Zhang L, Tse CS, Lam LCW, et al. Language training leads to global cognitive improvement in older adults: a preliminary study. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2019;62(7):2411-24. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_JSLHR-L-18-0321
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1044/...
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To assess whether learning a new language in older adults is beneficial. |
n=235; age=60-85; intervention: group based, 26 weeks, 1 session of 60 min per week; study groups: language training (n=53), active control: computer games (n=51), passive control: music appreciation (n=49); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: after 3 months. |
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Primary outcome: the study provides preliminary evidence that cognitively engaging activities (foreign language learning and computer games), even only in old age, have the potential to improve cognitive functions in older adults;
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Transfer effects: not investigated;
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Long-term effects: yes, after 3 months.
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Berggren et al.6060. Berggren R, Nilsson J, Brehmer Y, Schmiedek F, Lövdén M. Foreign language learning in older age does not improve memory or intelligence: evidence from a randomized controlled study. Psychol Aging. 2020;35(2):212-9. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000439
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/...
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To assess whether foreign language learning in older age is a promising avenue for combatting age-related cognitive decline. |
n=160; age=65-75 years; intervention: in group, 11 weeks, 2 sessions of 150 min per week; study groups: language training (n=90); passive control (n=70); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
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Primary outcome: results demonstrate that an initial language course aimed at healthy older adults is unlikely to have any substantial effect on overall cognitive ability;
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Transfer effects: not investigated;
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Long-term effects: not investigated.
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Ghavidel et al.3434. Ghavidel F, Fadardi JS, Gatto NM, Sedaghat F, Tabibi Z. Feasibility of using a computer-assisted working memory training program for healthy older women. Cogn Process. 2020;21(3):383-90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-020-00975-7
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/...
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To assess the efficacy of a WM training program on visuospatial and verbal WM in older female adults. |
n=45; age=60-75; intervention: individual, 14 weeks, 2 sessions of 30-45 min per week; study groups: WM training (n=25), active control (n=20); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
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Primary outcome: the results support the feasibility of using CCT among elderly women and point to positive results of WM training in their visuospatial and verbal WM;
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Transfer effects: not investigated;
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Long-term effects: not investigated.
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Guo et al.6262. Guo X, Yamashita M, Suzuki M, Ohsawa C, Asano K, Abe N, et al. Musical instrument training program improves verbal memory and neural efficiency in novice older adults. Hum Brain Mapp. 2021;42(5):1359-75. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25298
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/...
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To investigate whether a musical instrument training program can improve cognitive function and neural efficiency on fMRI in musically naïve older adults. |
n=53; age=61-85; intervention: group based, 16 weeks, 1 session of 60 min per week; study groups: Key-HIT program (n=27), active control (n=26); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
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Primary outcome: results provide important new insight into training-related plasticity, demonstrating that the Key-HIT program can improve verbal memory and neural efficiency in older adults;
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Transfer effects: verbal memory;
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Long-term effects: not investigated.
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Maraver et al.3838. Maraver MJ, Gómez-Ariza CJ, Borella E, Bajo MT. Baseline capacities and motivation in executive control training of healthy older adults. Aging Ment Health. 2022;26(3):595-603. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2020.1858755
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/...
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To examine the efficacy of an executive control training focusing on WM and inhibition in healthy older adults. |
n=44; age=65.07±3.91; intervention: individual, 4 weeks, 3 sessions of 60 min per week; study groups: WM training and inhibition (n=22), active control (n=22); assessments: pre- and post-test. |
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Primary outcome: there were specific improvements between sessions, such as processing speed and executive control;
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Transfer effects: response inhibition;
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Long-term effects: not investigated.
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Kazazi et al.5252. Kazazi L, Shati M, Mortazavi SS, Nejati V, Foroughan M. The impact of computer-based cognitive training intervention on the quality of life among elderly people: a randomized clinical trial. Trials. 2021;22(1):51. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-020-05008-4
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/...
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To investigate the effect of CT on improving WM, selective attention and QoL of elderly people with normal cognitive function. |
n=52; age=60+; intervention: group, 12 sessions, 2 sessions of 45 min per week; study groups: CCT ARAM (n=26), active control (n=26); assessments: pre- and post-test; follow-up: 3 months. |
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Primary outcome: when considering the results of this study, enhancement of specific cognitive domains (selective attention and WM) could improve overall cognition.
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Transfer effects: quality of life;
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Long-term effects: yes, after 3 months.
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