Transfer of learning after updating training mediated by the striatum.
Process-specific training can improve performance on untrained tasks, but the magnitude of gain is variable and often there is no transfer at all. We demonstrate transfer to a 3-back test of working memory after 5 weeks of training in updating. The transfer effect was based on a joint training-related activity increase for the criterion (letter memory) and transfer tasks in a striatal region that also was recruited pretraining. No transfer was observed to a task that did not engage updating and striatal regions, and age-related striatal changes imposed constraints on transfer. These findings indicate that transfer can occur if the criterion and transfer tasks engage specific overlapping processing components and brain regions.
Dahlin
Erika
E
Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden. erika.dahlin@physiol.umu.se
Neely
Anna Stigsdotter
AS
Larsson
Anne
A
Bäckman
Lars
L
Nyberg
Lars
L
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008568:Memory; D013663:Teaching