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Increased integrity of white matter pathways after dual n-back training

Salminen, Tiina ; Mårtensson, Johan LU ; Schubert, Torsten and Kühn, Simone (2016) In NeuroImage 133. p.244-250
Abstract

Dual n-back WM training has been shown to produce broad transfer effects to different untrained cognitive functions. The task is demanding to the cognitive system because it includes a bi-modal (auditory and visual) dual-task component. A previous WM training study showed increased white matter integrity in the parietal lobe as well as the anterior part of the corpus callosum after visual n-back training. We investigated dual n-back training-related changes in white matter pathways. We anticipated dual n-back training to increase white matter integrity in pathways that connect brain regions related to WM processes. Additionally, we hypothesized that dual n-back training would produce more brain-wide white matter changes than single... (More)

Dual n-back WM training has been shown to produce broad transfer effects to different untrained cognitive functions. The task is demanding to the cognitive system because it includes a bi-modal (auditory and visual) dual-task component. A previous WM training study showed increased white matter integrity in the parietal lobe as well as the anterior part of the corpus callosum after visual n-back training. We investigated dual n-back training-related changes in white matter pathways. We anticipated dual n-back training to increase white matter integrity in pathways that connect brain regions related to WM processes. Additionally, we hypothesized that dual n-back training would produce more brain-wide white matter changes than single n-back training because of the involvement of two modalities and the additional dual-task coordination component of the task. The dual n-back training group showed increased white matter integrity (reflected as increased fractional anisotropy, FA) after training. The effects were mostly left lateralized as compared with changes from pretest to posttest in the passive and active control groups. Additionally, significant effects were observed in the anterior part of the corpus callosum, when the training group was compared with the passive control group. There were no changes in pretest to posttest FA changes between the passive and active control groups. The results therefore show that dual n-back training produces increased integrity in white matter pathways connecting different brain regions. The results are discussed in reference to the bi-modal dual-task component of the training task.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Plasticity, White matter, Working memory training
in
NeuroImage
volume
133
pages
7 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:27001498
  • wos:000377048600021
  • scopus:84962032927
ISSN
1053-8119
DOI
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.028
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5451b230-1660-4838-a363-458298368c0d
date added to LUP
2016-04-27 16:24:07
date last changed
2024-04-04 18:01:28
@article{5451b230-1660-4838-a363-458298368c0d,
  abstract     = {{<p>Dual n-back WM training has been shown to produce broad transfer effects to different untrained cognitive functions. The task is demanding to the cognitive system because it includes a bi-modal (auditory and visual) dual-task component. A previous WM training study showed increased white matter integrity in the parietal lobe as well as the anterior part of the corpus callosum after visual n-back training. We investigated dual n-back training-related changes in white matter pathways. We anticipated dual n-back training to increase white matter integrity in pathways that connect brain regions related to WM processes. Additionally, we hypothesized that dual n-back training would produce more brain-wide white matter changes than single n-back training because of the involvement of two modalities and the additional dual-task coordination component of the task. The dual n-back training group showed increased white matter integrity (reflected as increased fractional anisotropy, FA) after training. The effects were mostly left lateralized as compared with changes from pretest to posttest in the passive and active control groups. Additionally, significant effects were observed in the anterior part of the corpus callosum, when the training group was compared with the passive control group. There were no changes in pretest to posttest FA changes between the passive and active control groups. The results therefore show that dual n-back training produces increased integrity in white matter pathways connecting different brain regions. The results are discussed in reference to the bi-modal dual-task component of the training task.</p>}},
  author       = {{Salminen, Tiina and Mårtensson, Johan and Schubert, Torsten and Kühn, Simone}},
  issn         = {{1053-8119}},
  keywords     = {{Plasticity; White matter; Working memory training}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  pages        = {{244--250}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{NeuroImage}},
  title        = {{Increased integrity of white matter pathways after dual n-back training}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.028}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.028}},
  volume       = {{133}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}