Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T17:05:38.255Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Benefits of training working memory in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: specific and transfer effects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 December 2012

Barbara Carretti ,
Erika Borella ,
Silvia Fostinelli  and
Michela Zavagnin
Barbara Carretti*
Affiliation:
Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
Erika Borella*
Affiliation:
Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
Silvia Fostinelli
Affiliation:
Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
Michela Zavagnin
Affiliation:
Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Barbara Carretti or Erika Borella, Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy. Phone: +39 049 8276948; Fax: +39 049 8276600. Email: [email protected] or [email protected].
Correspondence should be addressed to: Barbara Carretti or Erika Borella, Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy. Phone: +39 049 8276948; Fax: +39 049 8276600. Email: [email protected] or [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background: A growing number of studies are attempting to understand how effective cognitive interventions may be for patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), particularly in relation to their memory problems.

Methods: The present study aimed to explore the benefits of a working memory (WM) training program in aMCI patients. Patients (N = 20) were randomly assigned to two training programs: the experimental group practiced with a verbal WM task, while the active control group conducted educational activities on memory.

Results: Results showed that the aMCI patients completing the WM training obtained specific gains in the task trained with some transfer effects on other WM measures (visuospatial WM) and on processes involved in or related to WM, e.g. fluid intelligence (the Cattell test) and long-term memory. This was not the case for the aMCI control group, who experienced only a very limited improvement.

Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that WM training could be a valuable method for improving cognitive performance in aMCI patients, possibly delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Keywords

aMCIworking memory trainingtransfer effectsmaintenance effects
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , April 2013 , pp. 617 - 626
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aisen, P. S. (2008). Treatment for MCI – is the evidence sufficient? Neurology, 70, 2020–2021.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Belleville, S., Gilbert, B., Fontaine, F., Gagnon, L., Menard, E. and Gauthier, S. (2006). Improvement of episodic memory in persons with mild cognitive impairment and healthy older adults: evidence from a cognitive intervention program. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 22, 486–499.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Benton, A. L. and Hamsher, K. (1983). Multilingual Aphasia Examination. Iowa, USA: AJA Associate.Google Scholar
Bokde, A. L.et al. (2010). Altered brain activation during a verbal working memory task in subjects with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 21, 103–118.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Borella, E., Carretti, B., and De Beni, R. (2008). Working memory, and inhibition across the adult life span. Acta Psychologica, 128, 33–44. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2007.09.008.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Borella, E., Carretti, B., Riboldi, F. and De Beni, R. (2010). Working memory training in older adults: of transfer and maintenance effects. Psychology and Aging, 25, 767–778.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buschkuehl, M.et al. (2008). Impact of working memory training on memory performance in old-old adults. Psychology and Aging, 23, 743–753.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carretti, B., Borella, E. and De Beni, R. (2007). Does strategic memory training improve the working memory performance of younger and older adults? Experimental Psychology, 54, 311–320.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carretti, B., Borella, E., Zavagnin, M. and De Beni, R. (2012). Gains in language comprehension relating to working memory training in healthy elderly adults. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. doi: 10.1002/gps.3859.Google Scholar
Cattell, R. B. and Cattell, H. E. P. (1963). Measuring Intelligence with the Culture Fair Tests. Champaign, IL: Institute for Personality and Ability Testing.Google Scholar
Chicherio, C., Ludwig, C. and Borella, E. (2012). La capacità di riserva – cerebrale e cognitiva – nell'invecchiamento normale (Cerebral and cognitive reserve capacity in normal aging). Giornale Italiano di Psicologia., 2, 315–342.Google Scholar
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
De Beni, R., Borella, E., Carretti, B., Marigo, C. and Nava, L. A. (2008). BAC. Portfolio per la Valutazione del Benessere e Delle Abilità Cognitive Nell'età Adulta e Avanzata (The Assesment of Well-Being and Cognitive Abilities in Adulthood and Aging). Firenze, Italy: Giunti OS.Google Scholar
Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E. and McHugh, P. R. (1975). “Mini-Mental State”: a practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189–198.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gauthier, S.et al. (2006). Mild cognitive impairment. Lancet, 367, 1262–1270.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hughes, C. P., Berg, L., Danziger, W. L., Coben, L. A. and Martin, R. L. (1982). A new clinical scale for the staging of dementia. The British Journal of Psychiatry: The Journal of Mental Science, 140, 566–572.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Katz, S., Downs, T. D., Cash, H. R. and Grotz, R. C. (1970). Progress in development of the index of ADL. Gerontologist, 10, 20–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lawton, M. P. and Brody, E. M. (1969). Assessment of older people: self-maintaining and instrumental activities of daily living. Gerontologist, 9, 179–186.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Li, H., Li, J., Li, N., Li, B., Wang, P. and Zhou, T. (2011) Cognitive intervention for persons with mild cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis. Ageing Research Reviews, 10, 285–296.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Missonnier, P.et al. (2007). Working memory load–related electroencephalographic parameters can differentiate progressive from stable mild cognitive impairment. Neuroscience, 150, 346–356.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miyake, A., Friedman, N. P., Rettinger, D. A., Shah, P. and Hegarty, M. (2001). How are visuospatial working memory, executive functioning, and spatial abilities related? A latent variable analysis. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 130, 621–640.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Osterrieth, P. A. (1944). Le test de copie d'un figure complexe. Archives of Psychologie, 30, 206–356.Google Scholar
Park, D. C. and Reuter-Lorenz, P. A. (2009). The adaptive brain: aging and neurocognitive scaffolding. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 21–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Petersen, R. C. (2004). Mild cognitive impairment as a diagnostic entity. Journal of Internal Medicine, 256, 183–194.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Petersen, R. C., Smith, G. E., Waring, S. C., Ivnik, R. J., Tangalos, E. G. and Kokmen, E. (1999). Mild cognitive impairment: clinical characterisation and outcome. Archives of Neurology, 56, 303–308.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Petersen, R. C.et al. (2001). Current concepts in mild cognitive impairment. Archives of Neurology, 58, 1985–1992.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Piras, F., Borella, E., Incoccia, C. and Carlesimo, G. A. (2011). Evidence-based practice recommendations for memory rehabilitation. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 47, 149–175.Google ScholarPubMed
Portet, F.et al. (2006). Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in medical practice: a critical review of the concept and new diagnostic procedure. Report of the MCI Working Group of the European Consortium on Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 77, 714–718.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reitan, M. R. (1958). Validity of the Trail Making test as an indicator of organic brain damage. Perceptual Motor Skills, 8, 271–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richmond, L. L., Morrison, A. B., Chein, J. M. and Olson, I. R. (2011). Working memory training and transfer in older adults. Psychology and Aging, 26, 813–822. doi: 10.1037/a0023631.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rosen, V. M., Bergeson, J. L., Putnam, K., Harwell, A. and Sunderland, T. (2002). Working memory and apolipoprotein E: what's the connection? Neuropsychologia, 40, 2226–2233.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salthouse, T. A. and Babcock, R. L. (1991). Decomposing adult age differences in working memory. Developmental Psychology, 27, 763–776.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saunders, N. L. J. and Summers, M. J. (2011). Longitudinal deficits to attention, executive, and working memory in subtypes of mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychology, 25, 237–248.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sheikh, J. L. and Yesavage, J. A. (1986). Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): Recent Evidence and Development of a Shorter Version. Clinical Gerontology: A Guide to Assessment and Intervention (pp. 165–173). New York: The Haworth Press.Google Scholar
Spinnler, H. and Tognoni, G. (1987). Standardizzazione e taratura italiana di test neuropsicologici. The Italian Journal of Neurological Sciences, 8, 47–50.Google Scholar
Stigsdotter-Neely, A. and Bäckman, L. (1995). Effects of multifactorial memory training in old age: generalizability across tasks and individuals. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 3, 134–140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Verhaeghen, P., Marcoen, A. and Goossens, L. (1992). Improving memory performance in the aged through mnemonic training: a meta-analytic study. Psychology and Aging, 7, 242–251.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zehdner, F., Martina, M., Altgassenb, M. and Clarec, L. (2009). Memory training effects in old age as markers of plasticity: a meta-analysis. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, 27, 507–520.Google Scholar
Zincke, K., Zeintl, M., Eschen, A., Herzog, C. and Kliegel, M. (2012). Potentials and limits of plasticity induced by working memory training in old-old age. Gerontology, 58, 79–87.CrossRefGoogle Scholar