Auditory Memory Research Articles

Auditory Memory and Visual Memory in Typically Developing Children: Modality Dependence/ Independence.

The study aimed to determine whether there was a difference or an association between auditory memory and visual memory in typically developing children. Eighteen children, aged 8 to 12 years, with normal hearing and visual acuity, were evaluated using the Children's Memory Scale (CMS) to determine their auditory and visual memory performance. Using the core subtest battery of the CMS, auditory/verbal (immediate and delayed), visual/nonverbal (immediate and delayed), and general memory index scores were assessed. No significant difference was found between auditory/verbal memory and visual/nonverbal memory scores for both immediate and delayed recall. Likewise, no correlation between auditory/verbal memory and visual/nonverbal memory scores was found. However, there was a significant correlation between immediate and delayed recall scores within each modality. The non-significant difference between the two modalities for both immediate and delayed recall gives the impression that memory is modality independent. However, the lack of any correlation between the two suggests there was no association between them. The absence of a significant difference between modalities can be attributed to the auditory and visual test material used in CMS not being analogous. It can thus be inferred that the auditory and visual modalities are independent. While the visual material evaluates simultaneous/concurrent perception, the auditory material assesses sequential perception.

Impact of Cognitive and Psychological Functions in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

To compare the cognitive functions and trait anxiety in patients diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) to those of matched healthy controls (HCs). In addition, the study aims to investigate the correlations among cognitive functions, anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QOL) in this clinical population. The sample included RRMS patients (n = 21) and an equal number of age-, education-, and sex-matched HCs. Participants were assessed on the Indian version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV, auditory and visual learning and memory, and visual-spatial construction and memory. RRMS patients were also assessed for levels of anxiety, depression, and their QOL. Comparative analyses between RRMS patients and HCs were carried out for neuropsychological assessments. Correlations among cognitive functions, anxiety, depression, and QOL in RRMS patients were examined. RRMS patients showed significant deficits across various cognitive domains, including processing speed and verbal learning, compared to HCs (P < 0.05). In addition, they reported higher levels of trait anxiety compared to HCs (P < 0.01), along with moderate state anxiety and mild depression. A significant correlation among anxiety, depression, and QOL was observed in RRMS patients. This study highlights significant cognitive impairments and psychological distress experienced by RRMS individuals, underscoring the critical need for comprehensive care addressing both cognitive impairments and psychological distress to enhance QOL.

Auditory processing abilities of children with congenital blindness

BackgroundChildren with visual challenges rely on their hearing ability to accomplish daily tasks more efficiently. Many investigations show changes in the auditory pathway in children and adults with early blindness. It can be hypothesized that the auditory processing abilities of children with congenital blindness will be superior to those of typically developing children without any visual challenges. PurposeThe current study was designed to compare some of the auditory processing abilities of children with congenital blindness and typically developing children who do not have any visual challenges. Specifically, the study compared the perception of speech in noise, temporal patterning ability, binaural integration ability as well as auditory memory and sequencing abilities of children in two groups. Research designIt was a prospective cross-sectional study comparing two groups. Study sampleA total of 160 children, 80 typically developing children without any visual challenges (reference group) and 80 children with congenital blindness, in the age range of 7–11 years, participated in the study. Data collection and analysisPitch pattern test (PPT), perception of speech perception in noise test in Marathi (PSIN-M), dichotic digit test in Marathi (DDT-M), and auditory memory and sequencing test in Marathi (AMST-M) were administered. Independent sample T test and Mann Whitney U test were used to compare the performance of the two groups on these tests. ResultsChildren with congenital blindness showed significantly better scores on PPT, PSIN-M, and DDT-M as compared to children in the reference group in all the age groups. A clear trend was not observed on DDT-M. ConclusionIt can be concluded that children with congenital blindness have better auditory processing, auditory memory, and sequencing abilities compared to typically developing children without any visual challenges.

Overgeneralization of autonomic defensive reactions in obesity

Generalizing defensive responses to new stimuli resembling learned threats is an adaptive process within an ever-changing environment. However, evaluation mechanisms excessively biased toward generalization (i.e., overgeneralization) may underlie anxiety-related symptoms. In the context of obesity, fear memory and fear generalization processes have never been investigated. In this study, participants with obesity and healthy participants as controls underwent a single-cue auditory fear conditioning paradigm and recognition memory tasks. We analyzed the autonomic reactions evoked by threat-predictive and new stimuli, as well as the recognition performance towards the same cues. We found that participants with obesity displayed similar autonomic defensive responses to a learned fearful stimulus, but enhanced reactions to new stimuli, when compared with the controls. We detected no significant differences between groups in recognition abilities. Our results provided the first evidence that obesity may widen fear generalization patterns. This alteration may encourage future research in investigating the link between emotional dysregulation and clinical anxiety-related symptoms in obesity.

Quantitative physics-physiology relationship modeling of human emotional response to Shu music.

Music perception is one of the most complex human neurophysiological phenomena invoked by sensory stimuli, which infers an internal representation of the structured events present in a piece of music and then forms long-term echoic memory for the music. An intrinsic relationship between the basic acoustic property (physics) of music and human emotional response (physiology) to the music is suggested, which can be statistically modeled and explained by using a novel notion termed as quantitative physics-physiology relationship (QPPR). Here, we systematically analyzed the complex response profile of people to traditional/ancient music in the Shu area, a geographical concept located in the Southwest China and one of three major origins of the Chinese nation. Chill was utilized as an indicator to characterize the response strength of 18 subjects to an in-house compiled repertoire of 86 music samples, consequently creating a systematic subject-to-sample response (SSTSR) profile consisting of 1,548 (18 × 86) paired chill elements. The multivariate statistical correlation of measured chill values with acoustic features and personal attributes was modeled by using random forest (RF) regression in a supervised manner, which was compared with linear partial least square (PLS) and non-linear support vector machine (SVM). The RF model exhibits possessed strong fitting ability (r F 2 = 0.857), good generalization capability (r P 2 = 0.712), and out-of-bag (OOB) predictability (r O 2 = 0.731) as compared to SVM and, particularly, PLS, suggesting that the RF-based QPPR approach is able to explain and predict the emotional change upon musical arousal. It is imparted that there is an underlying relationship between the acoustic physical property of music and the physiological reaction of the audience listening to the music, in which the rhythm contributes significantly to emotional response relative to timbre and pitch. In addition, individual differences, characterized by personal attributes, is also responsible for the response, in which gender and age are most important.

Attention, working memory, and inhibitory control in aging: Comparing amateur singers, instrumentalists, and active controls.

Despite the ubiquity of musical activities, little is known about the specificity of their association with executive functions. In this cross-sectional study, we examined this relationship as a function of age. Our main hypotheses were that executive functions would decline in older age, that this relationship would be reduced in singers and instrumentalists compared to nonmusician active controls, and that the amount of musical experience would be more strongly associated with executive functions compared to the specific type of activity. A sample of 122 cognitively healthy adults aged 20-88 years was recruited, consisting of 39 amateur singers, 43 amateur instrumentalists, and 40 nonmusician controls. Tests of auditory processing speed, auditory selective attention, auditory and visual inhibitory control, and auditory working memory were administered. The results confirm a negative relationship between age and executive functions. While musicians' advantages were found in selective attention, inhibitory control, and auditory working memory, these advantages were specific rather than global. Furthermore, most of these advantages were independent of age and experience. Finally, there were only limited differences between instrumentalists and singers, suggesting that the relationship between music-making activities and executive functions may be, at least in part, general as opposed to activity-specific.

7838 Improvement of Cognition and Memory Scores in Transgender Individuals Within One Year of Initiating Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy

Abstract Disclosure: C.M. Godar: None. S.C. De La Torre: None. O. Bonsu: None. M.K. Shakir: None. T.D. Hoang: None. Introduction: The use of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) in transgender individuals is known to provide many beneficial health effects to reduce gender dysphoria, reduce depressive symptoms, and increase overall quality of life. Cognitive function and memory ability are known to be influenced by sex hormone levels in studies of hormone replacement therapy in post-menopausal women, but studies of GAHT’s effects on cognition and memory in transgender patients have been scarcely reported. We discuss a study of cognitive testing in transgender individuals before and after 12 months of gender-affirming feminizing or masculinizing hormone therapy using a validated cognitive assessment tool. Methods: A prospective study of 32 transgender patients aged 18-45 years was approved by IRB at an academic medical center. The Wechsler Memory Scale 4th edition (WMS®-IV, Pearson) was administered to 19 transgender females and 13 transgender males prior to initiation of GAHT and again after one year of GAHT use. Mean scores were analyzed and reported for five categories of cognitive and memory function: auditory memory (AMI), visual memory (VMI), visual working memory (VWMI), immediate memory (IMI), and delayed memory (DMI). Mean scores for baseline and 12-month data were analyzed for total population and male and female subgroups. Results: Baseline mean WMS-IV values for the total study population were: AMI 105 points, VMI 78 points, VWMI 107 points, IMI 88 points, DMI 91 points. Mean values after 12 months of GAHT were: AMI 120 points, VMI 81 points, VWMI 110 points, IMI 99 points, DMI 102 points. Mean percent change from baseline to 12 months was as follows: AMI 13.4%, VMI 8.9%, VWMI 2.6%, IMI 12.8%, DMI 13%. Similar patterns were noted for both gender subgroups. Discussion: It is well-known that transgender individuals are subject to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality compared to the general population. Decreased cognitive function and memory are known effects of untreated depression. Our study demonstrated that treatment of gender dysphoria with GAHT provided a tangible cognitive and memory benefit. The long-term impact of GAHT on cognition and memory is not known and deserves additional study. Limitations of this study included the absence of a cis-gender control group and inability to stratify data based on age, which may provide additional significance. Presentation: 6/2/2024

7838 Improvement of Cognition and Memory Scores in Transgender Individuals Within One Year of Initiating Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy

Abstract Disclosure: C.M. Godar: None. S.C. De La Torre: None. O. Bonsu: None. M.K. Shakir: None. T.D. Hoang: None. Introduction: The use of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) in transgender individuals is known to provide many beneficial health effects to reduce gender dysphoria, reduce depressive symptoms, and increase overall quality of life. Cognitive function and memory ability are known to be influenced by sex hormone levels in studies of hormone replacement therapy in post-menopausal women, but studies of GAHT’s effects on cognition and memory in transgender patients have been scarcely reported. We discuss a study of cognitive testing in transgender individuals before and after 12 months of gender-affirming feminizing or masculinizing hormone therapy using a validated cognitive assessment tool. Methods: A prospective study of 32 transgender patients aged 18-45 years was approved by IRB at an academic medical center. The Wechsler Memory Scale 4th edition (WMS®-IV, Pearson) was administered to 19 transgender females and 13 transgender males prior to initiation of GAHT and again after one year of GAHT use. Mean scores were analyzed and reported for five categories of cognitive and memory function: auditory memory (AMI), visual memory (VMI), visual working memory (VWMI), immediate memory (IMI), and delayed memory (DMI). Mean scores for baseline and 12-month data were analyzed for total population and male and female subgroups. Results: Baseline mean WMS-IV values for the total study population were: AMI 105 points, VMI 78 points, VWMI 107 points, IMI 88 points, DMI 91 points. Mean values after 12 months of GAHT were: AMI 120 points, VMI 81 points, VWMI 110 points, IMI 99 points, DMI 102 points. Mean percent change from baseline to 12 months was as follows: AMI 13.4%, VMI 8.9%, VWMI 2.6%, IMI 12.8%, DMI 13%. Similar patterns were noted for both gender subgroups. Discussion: It is well-known that transgender individuals are subject to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality compared to the general population. Decreased cognitive function and memory are known effects of untreated depression. Our study demonstrated that treatment of gender dysphoria with GAHT provided a tangible cognitive and memory benefit. The long-term impact of GAHT on cognition and memory is not known and deserves additional study. Limitations of this study included the absence of a cis-gender control group and inability to stratify data based on age, which may provide additional significance. Presentation: 6/2/2024

Impact of an Auditory Processing Training Program on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Children and young adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often report and exhibit significant auditory processing difficulties, particularly in background noise. This study extends our previous work by examining the potential benefits of a 12-week auditory processing training (APT) program designed to address the auditory processing difficulties in individuals with ASD via auditory training and the use of remote-microphone technology. Effect sizes of training benefits also were calculated, and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to consolidate performance across various tests into fewer meaningful constructs related to auditory processing in this population. Twenty-eight children and young adults with ASD participated in a 12-week APT program that included one-on-one speech-in-noise training, computerized dichotic training, and use of remote-microphone technology at home and at school. Before and after training, each participant completed tests of speech recognition in noise, spatial processing, binaural integration, and general auditory processing skills. Significant performance improvements and medium-to-large effect sizes were found across most test measures after the participants completed the APT program and when using the remote-microphone system. PCA identified strong relationships among all test measures as well as documented the relationships between behavioral performance, training duration, and training improvements. The APT program significantly improved spatial processing, binaural integration, phonological processing, auditory memory, auditory cohesion, and speech recognition in noise in individuals with ASD when the remote-microphone system was used. PCA analysis of pre- and posttraining data showed a strong relationship among all test measures, suggesting an abbreviated auditory processing test battery may be feasible for individuals with ASD. Training duration (minutes) and training improvements were associated with performance outcomes measured by the test battery.

Catatonia and neurocognitive disorder in the context of schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Background. Currently, researchers are aiming to establish the relationship between neurocognitive disorder and other clinical manifestations of endogenous diseases and functional indicators of the patient’s adaptation to social life. According to some data, the development of cognitive disorders is associated with the severity of catatonic disorders in the clinical picture of various diseases, in particular the presence of catatonic symptoms determines the worst indicators of cognitive functioning in the case of schizophrenia.The aim. To study the clinical and psychopathological features of catatonic syndrome in connection with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, as well as its connection with neurocognitive disorder manifestations among patients with endogenous disorders.Methods. From September 2022 to March 2024, we conducted a prospective, multicenter study of patients (n = 69) suffering from paroxysmal schizophrenia with primary catatonic symptoms in the structure of attacks. Mental status, the severity of catatonic symptoms using Bush – Francis Catatonia Rating Scale, neurocognitive profile using a number of validated scales (Montreal Cognitive Scale, Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia, Frontal Assessment Battery) were assessed.Results. Neurocognitive disorder was revealed in all cases studied. It has been noted that, depending on the presence/absence of affective symptoms, various domains of the neurocognitive profile are affected. Thus, in patients without severe affective symptoms, auditory and verbal memory, attention, processing speed, and motor skills are impaired. In patients with pronounced affective disorders, processing speed, motor skills, and problem-solving behavior are affected.Conclusion. Based on the results of processing the material, it was revealed that the most pronounced neurocognitive disorders were found in case of the manifestation of paroxysmal paranoid schizophrenia in male patients with a relatively early onset of the disease and hypokinetic catatonic disorders. In the future, we are planning to compare these results with the results of control group of patients with endogenous diseases and without catatonia.

Differential maintenance of auditory and tactile working memory: evidence from the cross-modal selective interference task

Differential maintenance of auditory and tactile working memory: evidence from the cross-modal selective interference task

Sparse representation of neurons for encoding complex sounds in the auditory cortex

Listening in complex sound environments requires rapid segregation of different sound sources, e.g., having a conversation with multiple speakers or other environmental sounds. Efficient processing requires fast encoding of inputs to adapt to target sounds and identify relevant information from past experiences. This adaptation process represents an early phase of implicit learning of the sound statistics to form auditory memory. The auditory cortex (ACtx) plays a crucial role in this implicit learning process, but the underlying circuits are unknown. In awake mice, we recorded neuronal responses in different ACtx subfields using in vivo 2-photon imaging of excitatory and inhibitory (parvalbumin; PV) neurons. We used a paradigm adapted from human studies that induced rapid implicit learning from passively presented complex sounds and imaged A1 Layer 4 (L4), A1 L2/3, and A2 L2/3. In this paradigm, a frozen spectro-temporally complex ‘Target’ sound randomly re-occurred within a stream of other random complex sounds. All ACtx subregions contained distinct groups of cells specifically responsive to complex acoustic sequences, indicating that even thalamocortical input layers (A1 L4) respond to complex sounds. Subgroups of excitatory and inhibitory cells in all subfields showed decreased responses for re-occurring Target sounds, indicating that ACtx is highly involved in the early implicit learning phase. At the population level, activity was more decorrelated to Target sounds independent of the duration of frozen token, subregions, and cell type. These findings suggest that ACtx and its input layers contribute to the early phase of auditory memory for complex sounds, suggesting a parallel strategy across ACtx areas and between excitatory and inhibitory neurons.

Auditory and visual working memory loads reduce fixation spread during free scene-viewing

Auditory and visual working memory loads reduce fixation spread during free scene-viewing

B - 89 Evaluation of the Differential Effect of Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety Symptoms as Predictors of Verbal Learning and Memory Performance

Abstract Objective Anxiety is known to exacerbate cognitive difficulties associated with aging; however, little it is less clear how specific symptoms of anxiety, particularly cognitive and somatic symptoms, impact learning and memory performance among older adults. This study explored the relationship between moderate-to-severe symptoms of cognitive and somatic anxiety on auditory learning and memory performance. Method A sample of 95 outpatients referred for neuropsychological were administered the California Verbal Learning Test -3rd Edition-Brief Form (CVLT), Wechsler Memory Scales – 4th Edition Logical Memory (LM), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) as part of a standardized battery. Results The sample was 45.3% female and 50.5% black (Age: M = 64.69, SD = 8.1; Education: M = 13.60, SD = 3.0). BAI items were dichotomized into somatic and cognitive symptoms. Items rated as moderate or severe were summed to create total somatic anxiety (S-Anx), and cognitive (C-Anx), and total moderate–severe (T-Anx) scores. Regression analyses indicated that T-Anx and S-Anx, significantly predicted CVLT Trial 1 (T1) learning (β = −0.24; β = −0.24, respectively) and total learning performance (β = −0.20; β = −0.23, respectively). C-Anx predicted T1 learning (β = −0.22,), but not total learning. None of the anxiety scales predicted CVLT delayed recall, nor LM learning or retrieval. Conclusion Multiple regression revealed that S-Anx remained a significant predictor of total learning when controlling for C-Anx. Findings indicate that both moderate-to-severe somatic and cognitive anxiety impact unstructured auditory one-trial learning, while somatic anxiety has a more broad impact on learning over trials, which was sustained after controlling for the effect of cognitive anxiety, suggesting potentially independent symptom construct clusters.

Auditory objects in working memory include task-irrelevant features

Object-based attention operates both in perception and visual working memory. While the efficient perception of auditory stimuli also requires the formation of auditory objects, little is known about their role in auditory working memory (AWM). To investigate whether attention to one object feature in AWM leads to the involuntary maintenance of another, task-irrelevant feature, we conducted four experiments. Stimuli were abstract sounds that differed on the dimensions frequency and location, only one of which was task-relevant in each experiment. The first two experiments required a match–nonmatch decision about a probe sound whose irrelevant feature value could either be identical to or differ from the memorized stimulus. Matches on the relevant dimension were detected more accurately when the irrelevant feature matched as well, whereas for nonmatches on the relevant dimension, performance was better for irrelevant feature nonmatches. Signal-detection analysis showed that changes of irrelevant frequency reduced the sensitivity for sound location. Two further experiments used continuous report tasks. When location was the target feature, changes of irrelevant sound frequency had an impact on both recall error and adjustment time. Irrelevant location changes affected adjustment time only. In summary, object-based attention led to a concurrent maintenance of task-irrelevant sound features in AWM.

Assessing the effect of anthocyanins through diet and supplementation on cognitive function in older adults at risk for dementia: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionPromising evidence is emerging for the procognitive, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of dietary flavonoids, particularly anthocyanins that provide red, purple and blue plant pigments.Methods and analysisThe ‘Food for Thought’ study...

Introducing ART: A new method for testing auditory memory with circular reproduction tasks.

Theories of visual working memory have seen significant progress through the use of continuous reproduction tasks. However, these tasks have mainly focused on studying visual features, with limited examples existing in the auditory domain. Therefore, it is unknown to what extent newly developed memory models reflect domain-general limitations or are specific to the visual domain. To address this gap, we developed a novel methodology: the Auditory Reproduction Task (ART). This task utilizes Shepard tones, which create an infinite rising or falling tone illusion by dissecting pitch chroma and height, to create a 1-360° auditory circular space. In Experiment 1, we validated the perceptual circularity and uniformity of this auditory stimulus space. In Experiment 2, we demonstrated that auditory working memory shows similar set size effects to visual working memory-report error increased at a set size of 2 relative to 1, caused by swap errors. In Experiment 3, we tested the validity of ART by correlating reproduction errors with commonly used auditory and visual working memory tasks. Analyses revealed that ART errors were significantly correlated with performance in both auditory and visual working memory tasks, albeit with a stronger correlation observed with auditory working memory. While these experiments have only scratched the surface of the theoretical and computational constraints on auditory working memory, they provide a valuable proof of concept for ART. Further research with ART has the potential to deepen our understanding of auditory working memory, as well as to explore the extent to which existing models are tapping into domain-general constraints.

Differing Pattern of Mismatch Negativity Responses in Clinical and Nonclinical Voice Hearers Challenge Predictive Coding Accounts of Psychosis

BackgroundAmong people with schizophrenia (PSZ), reduced mismatch negativity (MMN) is conceptualized as evidence of disrupted prediction error signaling that underlies positive symptoms. However, this conceptualization has been challenged by observations that MMN and positive symptoms are often uncorrelated. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that reduced MMN is associated with the presence of hallucinations and delusions specifically rather than the presence of a psychiatric illness. A second aim was to determine whether the strength of the association with positive symptoms increases for indices that reflect predictions at higher levels of abstraction. MethodsFifty-six PSZ, 34 nonclinical voice hearers, and 48 healthy comparison subjects (HCs) completed 2 MMN paradigms: one with a simple duration deviant type, and one with a higher-level, pattern-violation deviant type. We also measured the repetition positivity, which reflects the formation of auditory memory traces. ResultsWe observed that although PSZ exhibited the expected pattern of significantly reduced simple duration deviant type and reduced pattern-violation deviant type at the trend level compared with HCs, nonclinical voice hearers exhibited a pattern of simple duration deviant type and pattern-violation deviant type amplitude that was statistically similar to that of HCs (ps > .64). Similarly, PSZ exhibited a significantly reduced repetition positivity slope compared with HCs in the duration condition and a trend-level reduction compared with HCs in the pattern-violation condition. Nonclinical voice hearers did not differ from either group in repetition positivity slope in either condition. ConclusionsThese results indicate that the MMN as a prediction error signal does not reflect processes relevant for the manifestation of hallucinations and delusions.

Multisensory training based on an APP for enhanced verbal working memory in older adults

With the increasing aging population, contemporary society faces the imperative to develop approaches that efficiently delay the age-related decline in working memory capacity, which is a critical area within cognitive aging research. Nevertheless, there is insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of verbal working memory training across various sensory modalities (visual, auditory, and audiovisual) in enhancing the verbal working memory capacity of older adults. In this study, 60 healthy older adults (mean age = 67.07 ± 3.79 years, comprising 34 women and 26 men, mean education = 15.55 ± 2.53 years) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: visual verbal working memory (V-VWM) group, auditory verbal working memory (A-VWM) group, visual-auditory verbal working memory (VA-VWM) group, and a control group. The training duration spanned 12 days. We also investigated whether baseline level and education predicted the outcomes. Findings indicated that V-VWM training had a large effect on improving V-VWM task performance (Cohen's d = 1.765), A-VWM training showed a substantial effect on A-VWM task performance (Cohen's d = 1.904), and VA-VWM training demonstrated a significant effect on VA-VWM task performance (Cohen's d = 2.319) over pretest scores in older adults. Enhancements achieved through V-VWM training exhibited near transfer effects, improving performance in both A-VWM and VA-VWM tasks. In contrast, gains from A-VWM training were selectively transferred to the VA-VWM task. Furthermore, VA-VWM training led to improvements not only in V-VWM and A-VWM tasks but also extended to verbal operation span task with a significant 29.7 % increase. However, no significant transfer effects were observed for the DSF and DSB tasks across the three training groups. The maintenance effect of VA-VWM training persisted for two weeks across tasks involving VA-VWM, V-VWM, and A-VWM. The baseline of VWM span score influence the effect of V-VWM training and transfer effect of VA-VWM training. Education level did not predict the training effects of V-VWM, A-VWM, and VA-VWM. These findings highlight the nuanced effects of sensory-specific verbal working memory training in older adults, emphasizing the potential of tailored interventions to enhance specific aspects of cognitive function, while also highlighting the promising applications of mobile device training in enhancing cognitive skills among the elderly.

Echoes from Sensory Entrainment in Auditory Working Memory for Pitch.

Ongoing neural oscillations reflect cycles of excitation and inhibition in local neural populations, with individual neurons being more or less likely to fire depending upon the oscillatory phase. As a result, the oscillations could determine whether or not a sound is perceived and/or whether its neural representation enters into later processing stages. While empirical support for this idea has come from sound detection studies, large gaps in knowledge still exist regarding memory for sound events. In the current study, it was investigated how sensory entrainment impacts the fidelity of working memory representations for pitch. In two separate experiments, an 8 Hz amplitude modulated (AM) entraining stimulus was presented prior to a multitone complex having an f0 between 270 and 715 Hz. This "target" sound could be presented at phases from 0 to 2π radians in relation to the previous AM. After a retention interval of 4 s (Experiment 1; n = 26) or 2 s (Experiment 2; n = 28), listeners were tasked to reproduce the target sound's pitch by moving their finger along the horizontal axis of a response pad. It was hypothesized that if entrainment modulates auditory working memory fidelity, reproductions of a target's pitch would be more accurate and precise when targets were presented in phase with the entrainment. Cosine fits of the average data for both experiments showed a significant entrainment "echo" in the accuracy of pitch matches. There was no apparent echo in the matching precision. Fitting of the individual data accuracy showed that the optimal phase was consistent across individuals, aligning near the next AM peak had the AM continued. The results show that sensory entrainment modulates auditory working memory in addition to stimulus detection, consistent with the proposal that ongoing neural oscillatory activity modulates higher-order auditory processes.