Cognitive Working Memory Training (CWMT) in adolescents suffering from Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A controlled trial taking into account concomitant medication effects.

Abstract

Although, cognitive working memory training (CWMT) has been reported to enhance working memory functioning in youths with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), few studies take into account the concomitant effects of medication. Sixty adolescents aged from 11 to 15 years were randomly assigned to CWMT treatment, whereas medication was either continued or not introduced (no randomization performed). Results revealed beneficial effects of CWMT on the different components of working memory (WM), namely the phonological loop, the visuospatial sketchpad and the central executive. In particular, CWMT allowed participants to obtain a level of performance similar to the typically-developing adolescents for the phonological loop (i.e., forward digit span) as well as for the visuospatial sketchpad (i.e., board span). For the central executive (i.e., backward digit span) the concomitant effects of CWMT and medication allows participants to obtain the performance level of the typically-developing adolescents. Although, no transfers were observed with respect to other cognitive functions, in medicated patients with ADHD, CWMT reduced hyperactivity / impulsivity symptoms at 2-month follow-up. The present study gives evidence of the efficacy of CWMT to enhance WM performance, as well as, to reduce symptoms. The overall results highlight the usefulness of multimodal interventions.

Effects and Moderators of Computer-Based Training on Children's Executive Functions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…In particular, several empirical studies have investigated the training effects of computer-based training on children's working memory; some studies found the computer-based training to be effective (Prins et al, 2011;Dunning et al, 2013;Rojas-Barahona et al, 2015; see review by Klingberg, 2010;Morrison and Chein, 2011;Spencer-Smith and Klingberg, 2015), whereas some studies also found the training effect to be insignificant (Wong et al, 2014;de Vries et al, 2015;Melby-Lervag et al, 2016). There were also contradictory results about the transfer effects on inhibition; some studies indicated that computer-based training cannot be transferred to inhibition (Spierer et al, 2013;Ackermann et al, 2018;Hessl et al, 2019), whereas others found the transfer effects to be significant (Blakey and Carroll, 2015;Sanchez-Perez et al, 2018). For flexibility, only one study showed significant transfer effects (Espinet et al, 2013), and most found insignificant results (Egeland et al, 2013;de Vries et al, 2015;Weerdmeester et al, 2016).…”

Dual n-back working memory training evinces superior transfer effects compared to the method of loci

“…Gain in WM capacity is what all WM training techniques want to achieve. The digit-span has often been regarded as non-trained measure of short-term memory/WM capacity 9,22,[53][54][55] . Furthermore, the visuo-spatial change detection task, which involves the remembering of spatial locations of objects 56 , is formally similar with n-back task and method of loci on memory environment of spatial domain.…”

Traditional Scales Diagnosis and Endophenotypes in Attentional Deficits Disorders: Are We on the Right Track?

“…Interference control is more compromised in subjects with ADHD than in typically developing individuals [117,118] and visual perception is highly related to higher cognitive processes such as reading comprehension and arithmetic skills [119]. In addition, people with ADHD usually show deficits in tasks that assess visual working memory [120,121], alterations in visuospatial skills related to working memory [122], and in the ability to process spatial information adequately [123]. However, we do not have standardized tests focused on quantification of the deficit, only a qualitative view of the deficit itself.…”