Working Memory Plasticity in Old Age: Practice Gain, Transfer, and Maintenance

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Shu Chen Li - , Max Planck Institute for Human Development (Author)
  • Florian Schmiedek - , Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Humboldt University of Berlin (Author)
  • Oliver Huxhold - , Max Planck Institute for Human Development, German Center of Gerontology (DZA) (Author)
  • Christina Röcke - , Max Planck Institute for Human Development, University of Zurich (Author)
  • Jacqui Smith - , Max Planck Institute for Human Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Author)
  • Ulman Lindenberger - , Max Planck Institute for Human Development (Author)

Abstract

Adult age differences in cognitive plasticity have been studied less often in working memory than in episodic memory. The authors investigated the effects of extensive working memory practice on performance improvement, transfer, and short-term maintenance of practice gains and transfer effects. Adults age 20-30 years and 70-80 years practiced a spatial working memory task with 2 levels of processing demands across 45 days for about 15 min per day. In both age groups and relative to age-matched, no-contact control groups, we found (a) substantial performance gains on the practiced task, (b) near transfer to a more demanding spatial n-back task and to numerical n-back tasks, and (c) 3-month maintenance of practice gains and near transfer effects, with decrements relative to postpractice performance among older but not younger adults. No evidence was found for far transfer to complex span tasks. The authors discuss neuronal mechanisms underlying adult age differences and similarities in patterns of plasticity and conclude that the potential of deliberate working memory practice as a tool for improving cognition in old age merits further exploration.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)731-742
Number of pages12
JournalPsychology and aging
Volume23
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2008
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 19140644
ORCID /0000-0001-8409-5390/work/142254945

Keywords

Keywords

  • aging, cognitive training, plasticity, transfer, working memory

Library keywords