Training-induced cognitive and neural plasticity

Julia Karbach,Torsten Schubert

doi:10.3389/fnhum.2013.00048

Abstract

Training-induced cognitive and neural plasticity

Highlights

Research on cognitive interventions and training-induced changes in brain and behavior has been of growing interest in cognitive neuroscience and related disciplines over the last decade
Previous studies focusing on the magnitude and maintenance of training-related benefits have indicated that plasticity is considerable in healthy individuals across lifespan (e.g., Brehmer et al, 2007; Karbach and Kray, 2009; Karbach et al, 2010; Dorbath et al, 2011; Strobach et al, 2012a,c), and that it may even extend to very old age (Verhaeghen et al, 1992; Buschkuehl et al, 2008; Zinke et al, 2012b)
Recent evidence indicated that transfer effects might be enhanced if the training regime taps higher-level executive control processes instead of focusing on basic processing commodities or specific strategies (Lustig et al, 2009; Noack et al, 2009)

Summary

Introduction

Research on cognitive interventions and training-induced changes in brain and behavior has been of growing interest in cognitive neuroscience and related disciplines over the last decade (for reviews see Hertzog et al, 2008; Lustig et al, 2009; Shipstead et al, 2010; Morrison and Chein, 2011; for a recent meta-analysis see Melby-Lervåg and Hulme, 2013). Previous studies focusing on the magnitude and maintenance of training-related benefits have indicated that plasticity is considerable in healthy individuals across lifespan (e.g., Brehmer et al, 2007; Karbach and Kray, 2009; Karbach et al, 2010; Dorbath et al, 2011; Strobach et al, 2012a,c), and that it may even extend to very old age (Verhaeghen et al, 1992; Buschkuehl et al, 2008; Zinke et al, 2012b).

Results

Conclusion