Abstract
BackgroundSmartphone technology has enabled the creation of many working memory training (WMT) Apps, with those peer-reviewed described in a recent review. WMT claims to improve working memory, attention deficits, hyperactivity and fluid intelligence, in line with plasticity brain changes. Critics argue that WMT is unable to achieve “far-transfer”—the attainment of benefits to cognition from one taught context to another dissimilar context—associated with improved quality of life. However, brain changes after a course of WMT in frontoparietal and striatal circuits—that often occur prior to behavioral changes—may be a better indicator of far-transfer efficacy, especially to improve impulse control commonly dysregulated in those with addictive disorders, yet not commonly examined in WMT studies.MethodIn contrast to previous reviews, the aim here is to focus on the findings of brain imaging WMT training studies across various imaging modalities that use various paradigms, published via PubMed, Scopus, Medline, and Google Scholar.Results35 brain imaging studies utilized fMRI, structural imaging (MRI, DTI), functional connectivity, EEG, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), cerebral perfusion, and neurogenetic analyses with tasks based on visuospatial and auditory working memory, dual and standard n-back.DiscussionEvidence suggests that repeated WMT reduces brain activation in frontoparietal and striatal networks reflective of increased neural circuitry efficiency via myelination and functional connectivity changes. Neural effects of WMT may persist months after training has ended, lead to non-trained task transfer, be strengthened by auxiliary methods such as tDCS and be related to COMT polymorphisms. WMT could be utilized as an effective, non-invasive intervention for working memory deficits to treat impulse and affective control problems in people with addictive disorders.
Highlights
Working memory training (WMT) is a “do-no-harm” cognitive alternative to existing psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for various impulse control deficits [e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance use disorder, behavioral addictions and eating disorders] [1]
WMT neuroimaging studies found in this review utilized visuospatial and auditory working memory tasks, dual or standard n-back tasks
Research with WMT has primarily relied on task-based brain activation methods, but some studies use resting state functional connectivity methodologies which are described below
Summary
Working memory training (WMT) is a “do-no-harm” cognitive alternative (with less side effects, and greater home-based accessibility) to existing psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for various impulse control deficits [e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance use disorder, behavioral addictions and eating disorders] [1]. Far-transfer of WMT to broad quality of life factors are difficult to identify, given that publications have focused predominantly on measures of working memory performance (accuracy, response times) related to attention in children with ADHD [4,5,6,7] or with Autism Spectrum Disorder [8]; in adults [3, 9,10,11,12,13,14]; older adults [15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22]. Brain changes after a course of WMT in frontoparietal and striatal circuits—that often occur prior to behavioral changes—may be a better indicator of far-transfer efficacy, especially to improve impulse control commonly dysregulated in those with addictive disorders, yet not commonly examined in WMT studies
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