Neural Mechanisms of Brain Plasticity with Complex Cognitive Training in Healthy Seniors

Abstract

Complex mental activity induces improvements in cognition, brain function, and structure in animals and young adults. It is not clear to what extent the aging brain is capable of such plasticity. This study expands previous evidence of generalized cognitive gains after mental training in healthy seniors. Using 3 MRI-based measurements, that is, arterial spin labeling MRI, functional connectivity, and diffusion tensor imaging, we examined brain changes across 3 time points pre, mid, and post training (12 weeks) in a randomized sample (n = 37) who received cognitive training versus a control group. We found significant training-related brain state changes at rest; specifically, 1) increases in global and regional cerebral blood flow (CBF), particularly in the default mode network and the central executive network, 2) greater connectivity in these same networks, and 3) increased white matter integrity in the left uncinate demonstrated by an increase in fractional anisotropy. Improvements in cognition were identified along with significant CBF correlates of the cognitive gains. We propose that cognitive training enhances resting-state neural activity and connectivity, increasing the blood supply to these regions via neurovascular coupling. These convergent results provide preliminary evidence that neural plasticity can be harnessed to mitigate brain losses with cognitive training in seniors.

Using fuzzy-trace theory to understand and improve health judgments, decisions, and behaviors: A literature review.

“…As described by the investigators, “Skills addressed included higher-level cognitive strategies such as eliminating unimportant information (i.e., strategic attention), abstracting information in one’s own words (i.e., integrated reasoning), generating multiple interpretations and perspectives (i.e., elaborated reasoning), coming up with the personally applicable ‘take-home’ messages, and applying new learning to create novel individually relevant ideas (i.e., innovation)” (Cook, Chapman, Elliott, Evenson, & Vinton, 2014, p.4). This program demonstrated positive effects on gist reasoning among: adults with traumatic brain injury (Vas, Chapman, Cook, Elliott, & Keebler, 2011), adolescents with traumatic brain injury (Cook et al, 2014), and cognitively normal older adults (Anand, Chapman, Rackley, Keebler, Zientz, & Hart, 2011; Chapman et al, 2015). Chapman et al (2015) also found beneficial effects of treatment on cerebral blood flow and functional connectivity in the default mode and central executive networks.…”

Strategy‐based reasoning training modulates cortical thickness and resting‐state functional connectivity in adults with chronic traumatic brain injury

“…(2012) suggested that changes in cerebrovasculature are a potential candidate mechanisms for gray matter changes following training, and Tak, Wang, Polimeni, Yan, and Chen (2014) reported a close association between the cerebrovasculature and measures of rsFC. Importantly, changes in cerebral blood flow and rsFC of the adult human brain following cognitive training have been previously reported (Chapman et al., 2015; Takeuchi et al., 2013). …”

Cognitive Intervention for Attention and Executive Function Impairments in Children With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Study

“…Attention training drills are grounded in the emerging literature supporting experience-dependent plasticity [16][17][18][19] and are mostly based on the adult brain injury rehabilitation literature that has produced practice guidelines supporting this intervention. 20,21 A critical issue with this intervention approach is equivocal evidence for generalization or "transfer" of gains from cognitive training to nontrained tasks, including everyday, "real-world" activities, in pediatric brain injury or other childhood conditions.…”