Visual-spatial Working Memory Research Articles

Physical activity improves the visual-spatial working memory of individuals with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Our network meta-analysis aimed to ascertain the effect of physical activity on the visual-spatial working memory of individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease as well as to propose tailored exercise interventions for each group. Employing a frequentist approach, we performed a network meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of different exercise interventions in improving the visual-spatial working memory of individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Subsequently, we explored the moderating variables influencing the effectiveness of the exercise interventions through a subgroup analysis. We included 34 articles involving 3,074 participants in the meta-analysis, comprised of 1,537 participants from studies on mild cognitive impairment and 1,537 participants from studies on Alzheimer's disease. The articles included exhibited an average quality score of 6.6 (score studies) and 6.75 (reaction time [RT] studies), all passing the inconsistency test (p > 0.05). In the mild cognitive impairment literature, mind-body exercise emerged as the most effective exercise intervention (SMD = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.07-1.14). In Alzheimer's disease research, aerobic exercise was identified as the optimal exercise intervention (SMD = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.06-0.71). The results of the subgroup analysis suggest that the most effective approach to enhancing the visual-spatial working memory of individuals with mild cognitive impairment entails exercising at a frequency of three or more times per week for over 60 min each time and at a moderate intensity for more than 3 months. Suitable exercise options include mind-body exercise, multicomponent exercise, resistance exercise, and aerobic exercise. For individuals with Alzheimer's disease, we recommend moderately intense exercise twice per week for over 90 min per session and for a duration of 3 months or longer, with exercise options encompassing aerobic exercise and resistance exercise.

The relationships among working memory, inhibitory control, and mathematical skills in primary school children: Analogical reasoning matters

The current study examined the mediating role of analogical reasoning in the relationships among working memory, inhibitory control, and children’s mathematical skills. Two hundred fifty-one students from first to third grades were tested on visual-spatial working memory, verbal working memory, inhibitory control, analogical reasoning, and different mathematical skills (i.e., symbolic number processing and mathematical reasoning). After controlling for age and gender, analogical reasoning significantly contributed to both symbolic number processing and mathematical reasoning. The relationship between verbal working memory and symbolic number processing, as well as the relationship between verbal working memory and mathematical reasoning, were significantly mediated by analogical reasoning. The exploratory analyses further revealed that there was no significant age difference in the roles of analogical reasoning. These results highlight the important role of analogical reasoning in explaining the relationships among working memory, inhibitory control, and children’s different mathematical abilities. The findings also indicate that analogical reasoning, the ability of identifying and processing critical relational information, may be a potential avenue to improve children’s mathematical skills.

The Role of Executive Function in an Integrated Writing Task

Integrated writing (i.e., writing from sources) being a complex process, requires various linguistic and cognitive skills interacting with each other in a dynamic way. While recent studies have increasingly documented that writing processes are driven by a suite of cognitive abilities named executive function (EF), their roles in a literacy activity as complex as integrated writing remain underexplored. To address this core issue, the present study aimed to examine the direct and indirect effects of EF skills on students’ performance of a Chinese listening-reading-writing task. A total of 135 Chinese undergraduates were involved, completing a battery of tests, including a computerized Chinese integrated writing task measuring their writing performance and five EF tasks measuring inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory (auditory-verbal and visual-spatial), and planning skills respectively. Students’ integration activities were also recorded using a writing webpage. The path model indicated that inhibition, visual-spatial working memory, and planning skills could significantly and directly predict students’ writing performance and the visual-spatial working memory could indirectly predict writing performance via the mediation of source-text switches while listening. This study offers new preliminary insights into the association between EF and integrated writing among Chinese undergraduates; pedagogical implications for the teaching of integrated writing are also discussed.

The Associations Between Parental-Reported and Device-Based Measured Outdoor Play and Health Indicators of Physical, Cognitive, and Social-Emotional Development in Preschool-Aged Children.

Examine in preschool-aged children: (1)the associations between parental-reported and device-measured outdoor play (OP) and health indicators of physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development and (2)whether associations were independent of outdoor moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). This cross-sectional study included 107 participants. Children's OP was measured via a parental questionnaire and the lux feature of accelerometers. Children's growth, adiposity, and motor skills were assessed as physical development indicators. Visual-spatial working memory, response inhibition, and expressive language were assessed as cognitive development indicators. Sociability, prosocial behavior, internalizing, externalizing, and self-regulation were assessed as social-emotional development indicators. Regression models were conducted that adjusted for relevant covariates. Additional models further adjusted for outdoor MVPA. Parental-reported total OP, OP in summer/fall months, and OP on weekdays were negatively associated (small effect sizes) with response inhibition and working memory. After adjusting for outdoor MVPA, these associations were no longer statistically significant. OP on weekdays was negatively associated with externalizing (B = -0.04; 95% confidence interval, -0.08 to -0.00; P = .03) after adjusting for outdoor MVPA. A similar pattern was observed for device-based measured total OP (B = -0.49; 95% confidence interval, -1.05 to 0.07; P = .09). Future research in preschool-aged children should take into account MVPA and contextual factors when examining the association between OP and health-related indicators.

Early symbolic numeracy and gross, fine, and perceptual-motor skills in Mexican preschool children

The relation between early numeracy and motor skills has previously been examined, however, different results have been obtained depending on whether gross, fine, or perceptual-motor skills were considered in the study and the numeracy outcomes that were analyzed. The goal of the present research was to examine the relation between preschool children’s performance on two assessments of symbolic numeracy and gross, fine, and perceptual-motor skills. A total of one-hundred-and-twenty-three Mexican preschool children were assessed on their gross, fine, and perceptual-motor skills, their numeracy skills (i.e., applied problem-solving and symbolic number comparison) their numeracy precursor skills (i.e., number identification, cardinality and verbal counting), inhibitory control and visual-spatial working memory. Results from hierarchical linear regressions showed that applied problem-solving was predicted only by children’s numeracy precursor skills while the ability to compare two symbolic numbers was significantly predicted only by perceptual-motor skills. The study highlights the importance of perceptual-motor skills to children’s early numeracy learning. Keywords: Early numeracy skills; motor skills; perceptual-motor skills; preschool children.

Effect of calcineurin/NFAT inhibitors on biomarkers and cognition in a canine model of Alzheimer disease

AbstractBackgroundCalcineurin/NFAT signaling increases in Alzheimer disease (AD) and is associated with neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, amyloid‐β (Aβ) production, and cognitive decline. Hence, calcineurin/NFAT inhibitors (e.g., tacrolimus and Q134R) are attractive potential therapeutics to improve/prevent AD‐associated cognitive impairments. In AD mouse models, both tacrolimus and Q134R improved cognition and ameliorated neuroinflammation and synapse dysfunction.We hypothesized that 1) chronic low‐dose administration of tacrolimus and Q134R will delay cognitive decline over time in middle‐aged beagles, a model of human brain aging and AD; and 2) canine plasma and CSF biomarkers will be improved with treatment.MethodsCognitive outcomes were evaluated in 37 middle‐aged beagles at baseline and during follow‐up (years 1‐3) by assessing spatial learning [landmark‐discrimination (1, 2 and 4cm)], visual discrimination learning, reversal learning (executive function), and spatial working memory (20‐, 70‐, and 110‐second delays). Dogs were ranked for cognition at baseline and randomized into treatment groups: Control (n = 12; placebo), Q134R (n = 12; 8mg/day), and tacrolimus (n = 13; 0.075mg/kg/day). Concentrations of Aβ40, Aβ42, and NfL in plasma and CSF were measured using the Quanterix SIMOA.ResultsAccuracy at all landmark‐discrimination distances declined significantly among controls 20% faster than tacrolimus, and 15% faster than Q134R dogs, at the most difficult distance of 4cm. Accuracy on spatial working memory task declined 21% faster/year among controls than tacrolimus (years 2&3); and 18% faster than Q134R dogs (year 1). Performance on visual discrimination and reversal tasks declined with age but there was no treatment effect.Biomarkers in plasma tended to increase over time with no significant differences between treatment groups. In CSF, relative decreases in Aβ40 and Aβ42 in tacrolimus (2.9 and 2, respectively) and Q134R (5.4 and 3.7, respectively) were less than in control dogs. Finally, relative increases of NfL in tacrolimus and Q134R were less than in control dogs (2.3 and 3.7, respectively).ConclusionBoth tacrolimus and Q134R showed beneficial preventative effects on age‐related decline in spatial functions and memory but not on associative learning nor executive function in a canine model of AD. Finally, only CSF biomarkers tended to improve relative to treatment and are suggestive of less Aβ deposition in brain and higher clearance.

Private speech improves cognitive performance in young adults

The current study investigated the relationship between private speech usage and cognitive performance in young adults. Participants (n = 103, mean age = 20.21 years) were instructed to complete a visual-spatial working memory task while talking out loud to themselves as much as possible (Private Speech condition). We found that participants performed better on trials for which they produced a greater amount of private speech. To establish causality, we further found that participants performed better in the Private Speech condition than in a condition in which they were instructed to remain silent (Quiet condition). These beneficial effects of private speech were not moderated by task difficulty, which was manipulated by varying image labelability. However, participants who used more private speech during the task, as well as those who reported greater use of self-management private speech in everyday life, showed the greatest benefits. These findings have implications for real-world educational/instructional settings.

Randomized clinical trial on the effects of a computerized cognitive training for pediatric patients with acquired brain injury or congenital malformation

Both acquired injuries and congenital malformations often cause lifelong disabilities in children, with a significant impact on cognitive abilities. Remote computerized cognitive training (CCT) may be delivered in ecological settings to favour rehabilitation continuity. This randomized clinical trial (RCT) evaluated the efficacy of an 8-week multi-domain, home-based CCT in a sample of patients aged 11–16 years with non-progressive acquired brain injury (ABI), brain tumor (BT) and congenital brain malformation (CBM). Following a stepped-wedge research design, patients were randomized into two groups: Training-first group, which started the CCT immediately after baseline assessment and Waiting-first group, which started the CCT after a period of time comparable to that required by the training (8 weeks). Post-training and long-term (6 months) changes were assessed. Both groups improved on visual–spatial working memory after the CCT, with benefits maintained after 6 months, while no other changes in cognitive or psychological measures were found. These findings suggest that a multi-domain CCT can generate benefits in visual–spatial working memory, in accordance with data from extant literature reporting that computer games heavily engage visuo-spatial abilities. We speculate that is tapping on the same cognitive ability with a prolonged training that may generate the greatest change after a CCT.

Ocular and neural genes jointly regulate the visuospatial working memory in ADHD children

ObjectiveWorking memory (WM) deficits have frequently been linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Despite previous studies suggested its high heritability, its genetic basis, especially in ADHD, remains unclear. The current study aimed to comprehensively explore the genetic basis of visual-spatial working memory (VSWM) in ADHD using wide-ranging genetic analyses.MethodsThe current study recruited a cohort consisted of 802 ADHD individuals, all met DSM-IV ADHD diagnostic criteria. VSWM was assessed by Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test (RCFT), which is a widely used psychological test include four memory indexes: detail delayed (DD), structure delayed (SD), structure immediate (SI), detail immediate (DI). Genetic analyses were conducted at the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), gene, pathway, polygenic and protein network levels. Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) were based on summary statistics of various psychiatric disorders, including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), major depressive disorder (MDD), schizophrenia (SCZ), obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), and substance use disorder (SUD).ResultsAnalyses at the single-marker level did not yield significant results (5E−08). However, the potential signals with P values less than E−05 and their mapped genes suggested the regulation of VSWM involved both ocular and neural system related genes, moreover, ADHD-related genes were also involved. The gene-based analysis found RAB11FIP1, whose encoded protein modulates several neurodevelopment processes and visual system, as significantly associated with DD scores (P = 1.96E−06, Padj = 0.036). Candidate pathway enrichment analyses (N = 53) found that forebrain neuron fate commitment significantly enriched in DD (P = 4.78E−04, Padj = 0.025), and dopamine transport enriched in SD (P = 5.90E-04, Padj = 0.031). We also observed a significant negative relationship between DD scores and ADHD PRS scores (P = 0.0025, Empirical P = 0.048).ConclusionsOur results emphasized the joint contribution of ocular and neural genes in regulating VSWM. The study reveals a shared genetic basis between ADHD and VSWM, with GWAS indicating the involvement of ADHD-related genes in VSWM. Additionally, the PRS analysis identifies a significant relationship between ADHD-PRS and DD scores. Overall, our findings shed light on the genetic basis of VSWM deficits in ADHD, and may have important implications for future research and clinical practice.

The impact of robotics on development, of hot and cold executive functions, and their role in improving them in special education

Executive function (EF) skills are neurocognitive skills that support the reflective, top-down coordination and control of other brain functions, and there is neural and behavioral evidence for a continuum from more "cool" EF skills activated in emotionally neutral contexts to more "hot" EF skills required for motivationally significant tendency reversal. EF problems are transdiagnostic markers of abnormal development. A neurodevelopmental model follows the path from bad childhood events and stress to disturbance of the development of brain systems supporting reflection and EF skills and an increased risk for general psychopathology traits. Educational robotics is generally concerned with researching the effects of building and programming robots on children's learning and academic accomplishment. We recently discovered that engaging in progressively more difficult robot planning and monitoring (ER-Lab) promotes visual-spatial working memory and response inhibition in early childhood during typical development, and that an ER-Lab can be a viable rehabilitative tool for children with Special Needs. Children with Special Needs (SN) had considerably enhanced inhibition skills, and children with attentional impairment had greater gains in inhibition of motor response tasks than children with a language deficiency. The study's findings and future prospects for how ER-Lab programs could become a strong tool in classrooms with special needs children are highlighted. The key also conclusion was that there was a considerable improvement in visuo-spatial attention as well as a significant effect on robot programming skills. According to research, EF abilities can be developed through scaffolded training and are a promising therapeutic and preventive intervention target. Intervention efficacy can be increased by reducing disruptive bottom-up effects like stress, teaching both hot and cool EF skills, and incorporating a reflective, metacognitive component to facilitate far transfer of trained skills.

The effect of working memory load on inattentional deafness during aeronautical decision-making

Operating an aircraft requires pilots to handle a significant amount of multi-modal information, which creates a high working memory load. Detecting auditory alarms in this high-load scenario is crucial for aviation safety. According to cognitive control load theory, an increase in working memory load may enhance distractor interference, resulting in improved detection sensitivity for task-irrelevant stimuli. Therefore, understanding the effect of working memory load on auditory alarm detection is of particular interest in aviation safety research. The studies were designed to investigate the effect of storage load and executive function load of working memory on auditory alarm detection during aeronautical decision-making through three experiments. In Experiment 1 and 2, participants performed an aeronautical decision-making task while also detecting an auditory alarm during the retention interval of a working memory task (visual-spatial, visual-verbal and auditory-verbal). In Experiment 3, participants were required to detect an auditory alarm while performing the 2-back and 3-back aeronautical decision-making tasks. Experiment 1 found that the auditory alarm sensitivity was higher in conditions of low visual-spatial working memory storage load compare to high load conditions. Experiment 2 found that a high storage load of visual-verbal working memory reduced auditory alarm sensitivity but auditory-verbal working memory load did not. Experiment 3 found that, unlike storage load, auditory alarm sensitivity was stronger under high executive function load relative to low executive function load. These findings show that working memory storage load and executive function load have different effects on auditory alarm sensitivity. The relationship between executive function and auditory alarm sensitivity supports cognitive control load theory, while the impact of the storage function on auditory alarm sensitivity does not adhere to this theory.

Verbal but not visual-spatial working memory contributes to complex arithmetic calculation.

The contribution of working memory to mathematics has been extensively studied. It has been proposed that verbal working memory (VWM) and visual-spatial working memory (VSWM) have distinct contributions, but results have been inconclusive. Here, we hypothesized that VWM and VSWM contribute differentially to separate sub-domains of mathematics. To test this hypothesis, we enrolled 199 primary school students and measured their VWM and VSWM with number/letter/matrix backward span tasks, and tested mathematics performance with simple subtraction, complex subtraction, multi-step calculation and number series completion, while controlling for several aspects of cognition. We found that while letter backward span had a significant contribution to complex subtraction, multi-step computation and number series completion, number backward span only had a significant contribution to multi-step computation, and matrix span had no effect on any math task. These results suggest that only VWM associated with complex mathematics, which might reflect verbal rehearsal. In contrast, VSWM does not appear to associated with mathematics.

Private speech amount positively predicts memory performance in young adults

This study used a card-matching game that relies on visual-spatial working memory to investigate whether the amount one talks out loud to themselves (referred to as private speech) predicts cognitive performance in young adults (n = 118, mean age = 20.13 years). Each participant's performance was measured in two “Private Speech” trials, in which they were instructed to complete the game efficiently, while using private speech as much as they can. Using multilevel modeling, we found that participants performed significantly better on trials for which they produced more private speech. This relationship was not moderated by baseline competency on the task (measured in a condition where participants were not instructed to use, and rarely ever used, private speech). The study shows that the degree to which adults use private speech — when instructed to do so, is associated with cognitive performance, which may have important implications for educational/instructional settings.

Associations of gross motor skills with self-regulation and executive function in preschool-aged children

This study aimed to examine associations between gross motor skills and executive functions (EF) in a large sample of Australian preschool-aged children. Of 566 children (mean age = 3.2 ± 0.4 years, 51.2% girls), locomotor, object control, and total skill competence were significantly associated with visual spatial working memory and inhibition ( p < 0.05). Total skill competence was associated with shifting and locomotor skills were significantly associated with self-regulation ( p < 0.05). Static balance was significantly associated with inhibition and shifting ( p < 0.05). In boys, an association between object control skills and visual spatial working memory was observed. In girls, an association between static balance and visual spatial working memory, phonological working memory, and shifting was observed. The identification of significant associations between gross motor skills and different EFs is an important contribution to the growing evidence on the relationship between motor skills and EFs in early childhood.

Cognitive abilities and creativity: The role of working memory and visual processing

Recent studies have revealed the importance of cognitive abilities in creative thinking. However, most research addressed adults and only a few studies have examined the ways these correlations are manifested among young children. The present study explores the role of various cognitive abilities in creativity among school children. Measures of creativity, visual-spatial working memory (VSWM), verbal short-term memory (STM), working memory (WM), and visual processing (VP) were administered to 331 students in Grades 4 and 5. Cluster analysis was used to group students' creativity levels. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to test differences in cognitive abilities across the three clusters. Group differences between high and moderate level creativity students and low creativity students were found regarding VP abilities in the following tests: VSWM, visual discrimination (VD), and Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM). Group differences between high creativity students and low creativity students were also found on verbal STM and WM. Additionally, structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis revealed that VP can significantly account for unique variances associated with creativity, while verbal STM and WM are not significantly related to creativity. These findings enlighten the cognitive processes underlying creativity in young children.

Working memory and second language writing: A systematic review

AbstractThis article reports on a comprehensive synthesis of the literature on the role of working memory in second language (L2) writing. It starts with an overview and clarification of the construct and measurement of working memory, followed by an elaboration of major theoretical models informing the synthesized research. The article then presents a synthesis of the methods and results of the 16 studies that have been conducted on the associations between working memory and L2 writing. The methodological synthesis encompasses research design, methods of working memory, measurement of writing performance, methods of data elicitation for writing processes, and data analysis and reporting. The results of the synthesized studies demonstrate that (1) working memory is largely unrelated to overall writing proficiency; (2) it is predictive of specific aspects of L2 composition such as complexity, accuracy, and fluency; (3) the role of working memory varies as a function of genre, proficiency, target structure, instruction type, and task demands; and (4) verbal working memory, phonological short-term memory, visual-spatial working memory, and executive functions (inhibiting, shifting, and updating) have differential associations with the process and product aspects of L2 writing. The methods and results are discussed by identifying trends, accounting for disparities, clarifying confusion, recommending solutions, and proposing new directions.

The impact of phonological processing on number transcoding

Number transcoding describes the ability to make conversions between verbal and digital-Arabic numerical notations and was found to be a significant predictor of later math achievement. Therefore, it is important to better understand predictors of number transcoding performance. In this context, the present study focused on further investigating the predictive power of three phonological processing abilities (i.e., phonological working memory, phonemic awareness, and lexical access) for children’s number transcoding performance. In particular, we were interested in potentially selective associations of phonological processing abilities with specific number transcoding error types (i.e., lexical and syntactic errors). In total, 386 3rd and 4th graders aged 7–11 years were assessed. Results demonstrated that above and beyond age, sex, non-verbal reasoning, and visual-spatial working memory overall number transcoding performance were predicted by phonemic awareness and lexical access. Furthermore, selective associations were observed in that lexical errors were predicted by phonemic awareness and lexical access, whereas syntactic errors were predicted by visual-spatial working memory specifically. Taken together, these results corroborate and further specify the contribution of phonological processing abilities for number transcoding by providing evidence for shared cognitive mechanisms for the acquisition of mathematical and language skills.

The Role of the Cerebellum in Visual-Spatial Memory in Pediatric Posterior Fossa Tumor Survivors.

The cerebellum is involved in motor and non-motor functions. Cerebellar lesions can underlie the disruption of various executive functions. The violation of executive functions in cerebellar lesions is a serious problem, since children, after completing treatment, must return to school, finish their education, and get a profession. One of the important executive functions is working memory, which contributes to academic success. Deficits of verbal working memory in cerebellar tumors have been studied, in contrast to visual-spatial working memory. To assess this issue, 101 patients who survived cerebellar tumors and 100 healthy control subjects performed a visual-spatial working memory test. As a result, in children who survived cerebellar tumors, visual-spatial working memory is impaired compared to the control group. Moreover, with age, and hence the time since the end of treatment, the number of elements that children can retain in visual-spatial working memory increases, but still remains smaller compared to the control group. Our findings complement the idea of cerebellar involvement in visual-spatial working memory and suggest that it is disrupted by cerebellar lesions in children.

Dyslexia and dyscalculia: which neuropsychological processes distinguish the two developmental disorders?

ABSTRACT This study analyses the specific neuropsychological profiles of children with dyslexia and/or dyscalculia, in particular concerning phonological awareness, lexical access, working memory and numerical processing. Four groups were selected, through a screening process that used strict criteria, from 1568 7-10-year-old children: 90 with typical development, 61 with dyslexia, 13 with dyscalculia, and 14 with dyslexia + dyscalculia. Children with dyslexia show a deficit in phonological processing, lexical access, and verbal working memory, especially with alphabetic stimuli. Children with developmental dyscalculia show a deficit of phonological processing, verbal working memory with digits and visual-spatial working memory. They also show an impairment in spatial representation of numbers and in the automatic access to numerical semantics to a greater extent than those with double disturbance. Children with dyslexia + dyscalculia show a profile generally characterized by the summation of the deficits of the two disorders, although they have a lower deficit in access to numerical semantics and mental representation of numbers.

Enhancement of Visuospatial Working Memory by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Prefrontal and Parietal Cortices.

Previous studies have reported dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) activation during the performance of spatial working memory (SWM), therefore this study aims to compare the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) between these two areas. Fifty-four healthy right-handed students (27 women, 27 men; age=24.3±0.2 years) were randomly assigned to an anodal group (n=27) and a sham group (n=27), each of these groups was divided into F4 (representing right DLPFC) or P4 (representing right PPC) subgroups, respectively. A computerized Corsi block tapping (CBT) task was used to measure SWM. The tDCS intervention consisted of five daily sessions with a direct current of 1.5 mA for 15 minutes on the F4 or P4 area of the brain at 24-hour intervals. Significant enhancement of the SWM span as well as a faster response was observed after anodal tDCS in both the anterior and posterior direction. Moreover, stimulation of the left DLPFC induced a faster reaction time compared to the right PPC. Stimulation DLPFC and PPC, as an element of the frontoparietal network, showed SWM enhancement, with the DLPFC being more affected. Our finding provides new evidence to compare the effect of stimulation on the two main activated cortical areas during visual SWM.