title: Limited Benefits of Heterogeneous Dual-Task Training on Transfer Effects in Older Adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has often been reported that cognitive training has limited transfer effects. The present study addresses training context variability as a factor that could increase transfer effects, as well as the manifestation through time of transfer effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight older adults were assigned to an active placebo or two dual-task training conditions, one in which the training context varies between sessions (heterogeneous training) and the other in a fixed training context (homogeneous training). Transfer was assessed with near and far-modality transfer tasks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results show that heterogeneous and homogeneous training led to larger near-modality transfer effects than an active placebo (computer lessons). Transfer effects were roughly comparable in both training groups, but heterogeneous training led to a steeper improvement of the dual-task coordination learning curve within training sessions. Also, results indicated that dual-task cost did not improve in the active placebo group from the pre- to the post-training sessions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heterogeneous training showed modest advantages over homogeneous training. Results also suggest that transfer effects on dual-task cost induced by training take place early on in the post-training session. These findings provide valuable insights on benefits arising from variability in the training protocol for maximizing transfer effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Quebec, Canada.|Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lussier
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.|Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brouillard
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Quebec, Canada.|PERFORM Centre and Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bherer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003200:Computer User Training; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D014163:Transfer, Psychology
keywords: Divided attention; Executive function; Training; Transfer