What Is Targeted When We Train Working Memory? Evidence From a Meta-Analysis of the Neural Correlates of Working Memory Training Using Activation Likelihood Estimation

Oshin Vartanian*, Vladyslava Replete, Sidney Ann Saint, Quan Lam, Sarah Forbes, Monique E. Beaudoin, Tad T. Brunyé, David J. Bryant, Kathryn A. Feltman, Kristin J. Heaton, Richard A. McKinley, Jan B.F. van Erp, Annika Vergin, Annalise Whittaker

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleAcademicpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)
52 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Working memory (WM) is the system responsible for maintaining and manipulating information, in the face of ongoing distraction. In turn, WM span is perceived to be an individual-differences construct reflecting the limited capacity of this system. Recently, however, there has been some evidence to suggest that WM capacity can increase through training, raising the possibility that training can functionally alter the neural structures supporting WM. To address the hypothesis that the neural substrates underlying WM are targeted by training, we conducted a meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of WM training using Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE). Our results demonstrate that WM training is associated exclusively with decreases in blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses in clusters within the fronto-parietal system that underlie WM, including the bilateral inferior parietal lobule (BA 39/40), middle (BA 9) and superior (BA 6) frontal gyri, and medial frontal gyrus bordering on the cingulate gyrus (BA 8/32). We discuss the various psychological and physiological mechanisms that could be responsible for the observed reductions in the BOLD signal in relation to WM training, and consider their implications for the construct of WM span as a limited resource.

Original languageEnglish
Article number868001
JournalFrontiers in psychology
Volume13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Mar 2022

Keywords

  • Cognitive resource
  • Executive functions
  • Meta-analysis
  • Training
  • Working memory span
  • UT-Hybrid-D

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