Working memory training impacts the mean diffusivity in the dopaminergic system

Abstract

Dopaminergic transmission plays a critical role in working memory (WM). Mean diffusivity (MD) is a sensitive and unique neuroimaging tool for detecting microstructural differences particularly in the areas of the dopaminergic system. Despite previous investigation of the effects of WM training (WMT) on dopamine receptor binding potentials, the effects of WMT on MD remain unknown. In this study, we investigated these effects in young adult subjects who either underwent WMT or received no intervention for 4 weeks. Before and after the intervention or no-intervention periods, subjects underwent scanning sessions in diffusion-weighted imaging to measure MD. Compared with no intervention, WMT resulted in an increase in MD in the bilateral caudate, right putamen, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), right substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area. Furthermore, the increase in performance on WMT tasks was significantly positively correlated with the mean increase in MD in the clusters of the left DLPFC and of the right ACC. These results suggest that WMT caused microstructural changes in the regions of the dopaminergic system in a way that is usually interpreted as a reduction in neural components.

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.…”

Impact of videogame play on the brain’s microstructural properties: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses

“…10, 11 Changes in MD have been shown to be uniquely sensitive to neural plasticity. 11, 12 In particular, MD in the dopaminergic system has been shown to be quite sensitive to pathological, pharmacological and cognitive differences or changes related to dopamine. 12, 13, 14, 15 On the other hand, FA is known to be relatively more strongly associated with microstructural properties related to brain connectivity and sensitive to increases in axonal membrane thickness, diameter and/or the amount of parallel organization of the axons and can also reflect the process of neural plasticity.…”

Mean diffusivity of basal ganglia and thalamus specifically associated with motivational states among mood states

“…Recently, MDDS has been shown to be more sensitive to detect the pathology of the dopaminergic system (Parkinson's disease) than other magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures and positron emission tomography (PET) (Péran et al 2010;Seppi et al 2004). In addition, MD and MDDS have been shown to be sensitive to detect the neural plasticity, including very rapid changes (Razek et al 2011;Sagi et al 2012;Takeuchi et al 2014b). For example, Takeuchi et al (2014b) showed working memory training of 4 weeks lead to changes in MDDS.…”

“…In addition, MD and MDDS have been shown to be sensitive to detect the neural plasticity, including very rapid changes (Razek et al 2011;Sagi et al 2012;Takeuchi et al 2014b). For example, Takeuchi et al (2014b) showed working memory training of 4 weeks lead to changes in MDDS. In addition, in a study by Sagi et al (2012), subjects underwent two series of scans approximately 2 h apart.…”