The Impact of Cognitive Training on Cerebral White Matter in Community-Dwelling Elderly: One-Year Prospective Longitudinal Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

Abstract

It has been shown that cognitive training (CogTr) is effective and recuperative for older adults, and can be used to fight against cognitive decline. In this study, we investigated whether behavioural gains from CogTr would extend to white matter (WM) microstructure, and whether training-induced changes in WM integrity would be associated with improvements in cognitive function, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). 48 healthy community elderly were either assigned to multi-domain or single-domain CogTr groups to receive 24 sessions over 12 weeks, or to a control group. DTI was performed at both baseline and 12-month follow-up. Positive effects of multi-domain CogTr on long-term changes in DTI indices were found in posterior parietal WM. Participants in the multi-domain group showed a trend of long-term decrease in axial diffusivity (AD) without significant change in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) or radial diffusivity (RD), while those in the control group displayed a significant FA decrease, and an increase in MD and RD. In addition, significant relationships between an improvement in processing speed and changes in RD, MD and AD were found in the multi-domain group. These findings support the hypothesis that plasticity of WM can be modified by CogTr, even in late adulthood.

Brain structural changes after multi‐strategic metamemory training in older adults with subjective memory complaints: A randomized controlled trial

“…This tract is the neuroanatomical foundation of various functions such as perception, emotion, and higher cognition. A previous longitudinal study demonstrated that multiple cognitive training induces differences in the superior longitudinal fasciculus tract compared to the control group (Cao et al, ). The medial prefrontal cortex was highly activated during the meta‐monitoring process (Do Lam et al, ), and reviews of brain research revealed that executive control and metacognition share the same brain region in the mid‐frontal area (Fernandez‐Duque, Baird, & Posner, ).…”

“…Also, the previous study of metamemory experiments in neurological populations shows that there is a relationship between indices of frontal lobe function and metamemory accuracy and that there are many variables that affect metamemory performance such as the type of memory task, the format of memory task (recall or recognition), and type of meta-judgment (Pannu & Kaszniak, 2005). (Cao et al, 2016). The medial prefrontal cortex was highly activated during the meta-monitoring process (Do Lam et al, 2012), and reviews of brain research revealed that executive control and metacognition share the same brain region in the mid-frontal area (Fernandez-Duque, Baird, & Posner, 2000).…”

“…Brain imaging has been used to investigate the correlation between specific brain regions and improvement in cognitive ability (Bryck & Fisher, 2012;Green & Bavelier, 2008;Scholz, Klein, Behrens, & Johansen-Berg, 2009). Cortical thickness, grey matter density, and white matter integrity in various regions of the brain can be enhanced by training, in older adults (Ballesteros, Kraft, Santana, & Tziraki, 2015;Cao et al, 2016). We have developed a multi-strategic memory training based on the metamemory concept, which was efficacious in improving objective memory and fluency in a small controlled study with older adults (Youn, Lee, Kim, & Ryu, 2011).…”

Word learning reveals white matter plasticity in preschool children

“…b Plot depicts mean FA change from scan 1 to scan 2 in each group extracted from the significant cluster. Individual subjects' data points are represented by dots in the word learning group, triangles in the active, and squares in the passive control group adult training studies investigating white matter plasticity, a similar junction of crossing fibers including the frontoparietal connection was reported in older adults as a result of memory training (de Lange et al 2017) and multi-domain cognitive training (Cao et al 2016). For the homologue fronto-parietal region in the right hemisphere, a change in FA was reported after reasoning training in young adults (Mackey et al 2012).…”

From Evaluation to Prediction: Behavioral Effects and Biological Markers of Cognitive Control Intervention

“…Behavioral changes after cognitive control interventions are often accompanied by changes in brain activity and even brain structures [60]. Structurally, the possible benefits of different interventions include delays in thickness atrophy of the prefrontal cortex [61,62], an increase in white matter integrity [63,64], and increased volume of white and gray matter [65][66][67].…”