Browsing by Author "Savage, Linette"

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    Near and Far Transfer of Working Memory Training Related Gains in Healthy Adults
    (2013-10-03) Savage, Linette; Goghari, Vina
    Enhancing intelligence through working memory training is an attractive concept, particularly for middle-aged adults. However, investigations of working memory training benefits are limited to younger or older adults, and results are inconsistent. This study investigates working memory training in middle age-range adults. Fifty healthy adults, aged 30-60, completed measures of working memory, processing speed, and fluid intelligence before and after a 5-week web-based working memory (experimental) or processing speed (active control) training program. Baseline intelligence and personality were measured as potential individual characteristics associated with change. Improved performance on working memory and processing speed tasks were experienced by both groups; however, only the working memory training group improved in fluid intelligence. Agreeableness emerged as a personality factor associated with working memory training related change. Albeit limited by power, findings suggest that dual n-back working memory training not only enhances working memory but also fluid intelligence in middle-aged healthy adults.
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    Neuroanatomical Changes Associated with Working Memory Training in Healthy Adults
    (2018-06-26) Savage, Linette; Goghari, Vina M.; Campbell, Tavis S.; Bodner, Glen E.; Lebel, Catherine A.; MacMaster, Frank P.; Yang, Lixia
    The potential for working memory training to enhance cognitive and intellectual abilities is alluring across scientific disciplines and the general public. However, the field has been fraught with inconsistency and controversy. Heterogeneous methodological implementations have led to a divided and contrasting body of literature, which has collectively limited scientific transparency and advancement in the field. However, neuroimaging has the potential to clarify what, if any, benefit working memory training has on the adult human brain. A recent series of studies used functional neuroimaging to investigate neural activations associated with working memory training. This dissertation uses structural imaging to address another theoretical area: the neuroanatomical correlates of working memory training. Forty-eight healthy community dwelling adults, aged 18 - 40 years, completed a series of cognitive tasks and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after completing a 6-week trial of working memory training (experimental condition) or processing speed training (active control condition). Group by time repeated measures Analyses of Variance (rm-ANOVAs) were conducted on MRI data to identify changes in surface area, thickness, and volume in theoretically relevant gray matter regions of interest, as well as overall gray and white matter volumes, associated with working memory training. Similar analyses were conducted to investigate changes in cognitive task performance in this sample. Null results were present across all neuroanatomical metrics after correction for multiple comparisons, and findings from cognitive tasks were consistent with the subset of literature suggesting that working memory training does not meaningfully benefit cognitive performance. Albeit limited by low statistical power and the confines of available technology, findings of this study, in consort with recently published investigations, strongly support the idea that working memory training is not an effective method for enhancing cognitive performance or inducing neoplastic changes in brain structure. We suggest that future studies continue attempts to resolve heterogeneity and polarization in this field, or alternatively, concentrate resources on identifying and refining mechanisms of change in populations who may benefit from rehabilitative forms of cognitive training.