Centre for Research and Development in Learning (CRADLE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Trials. 2023 Aug 11;24(1):517. doi: 10.1186/s13063-023-07551-2.
Cognitive flexibility refers to the capacity to shift between conceptual representations particularly in response to changes in instruction and feedback. It enables individuals to swiftly adapt to changes in their environment and has significant implications for learning. The present study focuses on investigating changes in cognitive flexibility following an intervention programme-Structure Learning training.
Participants are pseudo-randomised to either the Training or Control group, while matched on age, sex, intelligence and cognitive flexibility performance. In the Training group, participants undergo around 2 weeks of training (at least 13 sessions) on Structure Learning. In the Control group, participants do not have to undergo any training and are never exposed to the Structure Learning task. The effects of Structure Learning training are investigated at both the behavioural and neural level. We measured covariates that can influence an individual's training performance before the training phase and outcome measures that can potentially show training benefits after the training phase. At the behavioural level, we investigated outcomes in both cognitive and social aspects with a primary focus on executive functions. At the neural level, we employed a multimodality approach and investigated potential changes to functional connectivity patterns, neurometabolite concentration in the frontal brain regions, and brain microstructure and myelination.
We reported the development of a novel training programme based on Structure Learning that aims to hone a general learning ability to potentially achieve extensive transfer benefits across various cognitive constructs. Potential transfer benefits can be exhibited through better performance in outcome measures between Training and Control participants, and positive associations between training performance and outcomes after the training in Training participants. Moreover, we attempt to substantiate behavioural findings with evidence of neural changes across different imaging modalities by the Structure Learning training.
National Institutes of Health U.S. National Library of Medicine ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05611788. Registered on 7 November 2022.
11 May 2023.
认知灵活性是指在概念表征之间转换的能力，特别是在响应指令和反馈变化时。它使个体能够迅速适应环境变化，对学习具有重要意义。本研究专注于调查结构学习训练干预计划后认知灵活性的变化。
参与者被伪随机分配到训练组或对照组，同时按年龄、性别、智力和认知灵活性表现进行匹配。在训练组中，参与者接受大约 2 周的结构学习训练（至少 13 次）。在对照组中，参与者无需进行任何训练，也从未接触过结构学习任务。我们在行为和神经水平上研究了结构学习训练的效果。在训练前，我们测量了可能影响个体训练表现的协变量，以及在训练后可能显示训练益处的结果测量。在行为水平上，我们主要关注执行功能，同时研究了认知和社会方面的结果。在神经水平上，我们采用多模态方法，研究了功能连接模式、额区神经代谢物浓度、脑微观结构和髓鞘化的潜在变化。
我们报告了一种基于结构学习的新型训练计划的发展，旨在磨练一种通用学习能力，以在各种认知结构中实现广泛的转移益处。通过训练组和对照组之间的结果测量中更好的表现，以及训练组中训练表现和训练后的结果之间的积极关联，可以显示出潜在的转移益处。此外，我们试图通过结构学习训练在不同成像模式下的神经变化来证实行为发现。
美国国立卫生研究院美国国立医学图书馆临床试验.gov NCT05611788。2022 年 11 月 7 日注册。
2023 年 5 月 11 日。
