Enhancing Spatial Attention and Working Memory in Younger and Older Adults.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Enhancing Spatial Attention and Working Memory in Younger and Older Adults.
Authors: Rolle, Camarin E., Anguera, Joaquin A., Skinner, Sasha N., Voytek, Bradley, Gazzaley, Adam
Source: Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 2017, Vol. 29 Issue 9, p1483-1497. 15p. 1 Color Photograph, 3 Diagrams, 4 Graphs.
Subjects: Short-term memory, Spatial memory, Cognitive training, Cognition in old age, Attention, Psychology
Abstract: Daily experiences demand both focused and broad allocation of attention for us to interact efficiently with our complex environments. Many types of attention have shown age-related decline, although there is also evidence that such deficits may be remediated with cognitive training. However, spatial attention abilities have shown inconsistent age-related differences, and the extent of potential enhancement of these abilities remains unknown. Here, we assessed spatial attention in both healthy younger and older adults and trained this ability in both age groups for 5 hr over the course of 2 weeks using a custommade, computerized mobile training application. We compared training-related gains on a spatial attention assessment and spatial working memory task to age-matched controls who engaged in expectancy-matched, active placebo computerized training. Age-related declines in spatial attention abilities were observed regardless of task difficulty. Spatial attention training led to improved focused and distributed attention abilities as well as improved spatial working memory in both younger and older participants. No such improvements were observed in either of the age-matched control groups. Note that these findings were not a function of improvements in simple response time, as basic motoric function did not change after training. Furthermore, when using change in simple response time as a covariate, all findings remained significant. These results suggest that spatial attention training can lead to enhancements in spatial working memory regardless of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience is the property of MIT Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 124389480
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Enhancing Spatial Attention and Working Memory in Younger and Older Adults.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rolle%2C+Camarin+E%2E%22">Rolle, Camarin E.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Anguera%2C+Joaquin+A%2E%22">Anguera, Joaquin A.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Skinner%2C+Sasha+N%2E%22">Skinner, Sasha N.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Voytek%2C+Bradley%22">Voytek, Bradley</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gazzaley%2C+Adam%22">Gazzaley, Adam</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Cognitive+Neuroscience%22">Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience</searchLink>. 2017, Vol. 29 Issue 9, p1483-1497. 15p. 1 Color Photograph, 3 Diagrams, 4 Graphs.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Short-term+memory%22">Short-term memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spatial+memory%22">Spatial memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+training%22">Cognitive training</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognition+in+old+age%22">Cognition in old age</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attention%22">Attention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychology%22">Psychology</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Daily experiences demand both focused and broad allocation of attention for us to interact efficiently with our complex environments. Many types of attention have shown age-related decline, although there is also evidence that such deficits may be remediated with cognitive training. However, spatial attention abilities have shown inconsistent age-related differences, and the extent of potential enhancement of these abilities remains unknown. Here, we assessed spatial attention in both healthy younger and older adults and trained this ability in both age groups for 5 hr over the course of 2 weeks using a custommade, computerized mobile training application. We compared training-related gains on a spatial attention assessment and spatial working memory task to age-matched controls who engaged in expectancy-matched, active placebo computerized training. Age-related declines in spatial attention abilities were observed regardless of task difficulty. Spatial attention training led to improved focused and distributed attention abilities as well as improved spatial working memory in both younger and older participants. No such improvements were observed in either of the age-matched control groups. Note that these findings were not a function of improvements in simple response time, as basic motoric function did not change after training. Furthermore, when using change in simple response time as a covariate, all findings remained significant. These results suggest that spatial attention training can lead to enhancements in spatial working memory regardless of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience is the property of MIT Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=124389480
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1162/jocn_a_01159
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 1483
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Short-term memory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spatial memory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognitive training
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognition in old age
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Enhancing Spatial Attention and Working Memory in Younger and Older Adults.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rolle, Camarin E.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Anguera, Joaquin A.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Skinner, Sasha N.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Voytek, Bradley
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Gazzaley, Adam
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 09
              Text: 2017
              Type: published
              Y: 2017
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0898929X
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 29
            – Type: issue
              Value: 9
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
              Type: main
ResultId 1