Department of Psychology and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beersheba, Israel.
IDF Medical Corps, Tel Hashomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Psychol Res. 2020 Sep;84(6):1586-1609. doi: 10.1007/s00426-019-01170-w. Epub 2019 May 3.
Given the interest in improving executive functions, the present study examines a promising combination of two training techniques: neurofeedback training (NFT) and working memory training (WMT). NFT targeted increasing the amplitude of individual's upper Alpha frequency band at the parietal midline scalp location (Pz), and WMT consisted of an established computerized protocol with working memory updating and set-shifting components. Healthy participants (n = 140) were randomly allocated to five combinations of training, including visual search training used as an active control training for the WMT; all five groups were compared to a sixth silent control group receiving no training. All groups were evaluated before and after training for resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) and behavioral executive function measures. The participants in the silent control group were unaware of this procedure, and received one of the training protocols only after study has ended. Results demonstrated significant improvement in the practice tasks in all training groups including non-specific influence of NFT on resting-state EEG spectral topography. There was only a near transfer effect (improvement in working memory task) for WMT, which remained significant in the delayed post-test (after 1 month), in comparison to silent control group but not in comparison to active control training group. The NFT + WMT combined group showed improved mental rotation ability both in the post-training and in the follow-up evaluations. This improvement, however, did not differ significantly from that in the silent control group. We conclude that the current training protocols, including their combination, have very limited influence on the executive functions that were assessed in this study.
鉴于提高执行功能的兴趣，本研究考察了两种训练技术的有希望的组合：神经反馈训练（NFT）和工作记忆训练（WMT）。NFT 的目标是增加个体顶中线头皮位置（Pz）的上阿尔法频带的幅度，而 WMT 由具有工作记忆更新和集转移成分的既定计算机协议组成。健康参与者（n=140）被随机分配到训练的五种组合中，包括用作 WMT 的主动控制训练的视觉搜索训练；所有五组均与接受无训练的第六个静默控制组进行比较。所有组均在训练前后进行静息状态脑电图（EEG）和行为执行功能测量。沉默控制组的参与者不知道此过程，并且仅在研究结束后才接受一种训练方案。结果表明，所有训练组的练习任务都有显著改善，包括 NFT 对静息状态 EEG 频谱地形的非特异性影响。仅 WMT 具有近转移效应（工作记忆任务的改善），与静默控制组相比，其在延迟后测（1 个月后）中仍然显著，但与主动控制训练组相比则不显著。NFT+WMT 联合组在训练后和随访评估中均显示出心理旋转能力的提高。然而，这种改善与静默控制组相比没有显著差异。我们得出结论，当前的训练方案，包括它们的组合，对本研究评估的执行功能的影响非常有限。
