title: Neural Plastic Effects of Cognitive Training on Aging Brain.
abstract: Increasing research has evidenced that our brain retains a capacity to change in response to experience until late adulthood. This implies that cognitive training can possibly ameliorate age-associated cognitive decline by inducing training-specific neural plastic changes at both neural and behavioral levels. This longitudinal study examined the behavioral effects of a systematic thirteen-week cognitive training program on attention and working memory of older adults who were at risk of cognitive decline. These older adults were randomly assigned to the Cognitive Training Group (n = 109) and the Active Control Group (n = 100). Findings clearly indicated that training induced improvement in auditory and visual-spatial attention and working memory. The training effect was specific to the experience provided because no significant difference in verbal and visual-spatial memory between the two groups was observed. This pattern of findings is consistent with the prediction and the principle of experience-dependent neuroplasticity. Findings of our study provided further support to the notion that the neural plastic potential continues until older age. The baseline cognitive status did not correlate with pre- versus posttraining changes to any cognitive variables studied, suggesting that the initial cognitive status may not limit the neuroplastic potential of the brain at an old age.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ; Laboratory of Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Natalie T Y
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ; Institute of Clinical Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Helena M K
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ; Alzheimer's Disease Research Network, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Leung W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Timothy C Y
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.affiliation: Fung Yiu King Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Linda C W
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ; Laboratory of Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ; Institute of Clinical Neuropsychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ; Alzheimer's Disease Research Network, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong ; State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Tatia M C
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001288:Attention; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception