Cerebral bases of cognitive training in working memory executive tasks

Abstract

The large number of behavioral studies testing whether working memory training improves performance on an untrained task have yielded inconclusive results. Moreover, some studies have investigated the possible neural changes during the performance of untrained tasks after training. Here, we studied the far transfer from n-back training to the PASAT test, two different tasks that use the central executive to maintain verbal stimuli. Participants completed fMRI sessions at baseline, immediately after one week of training, and at the five-week follow-up. Although behavioral transfer effects were not obtained, training was associated with decreased activation in the anterior bilateral DLPFC (BA 9/46) while performing the PASAT that remained stable five weeks later. In addition, this decline was positively associated with behavioral improvements on the PASAT test. Consistent with our hypothesis, the changes in the anterior DLFPC largely overlapped with the n-back task fMRI activations. In conclusion, working memory training improves efficiency in brain areas involved in the trained task that may affect untrained tasks, specifically in brain areas responsible for the same cognitive processes.