Subjects: Psychology >> Cognitive Psychology Subjects: Psychology >> Physiological Psychology submitted time 2021-09-10
Abstract： " Working memory training (WMT) has induced neuroplasticity, but its specific mechanism remains unclear. In order to explore the spatio-temporal characteristics of brain function changes induced by WMT in normal population, the findings of 37 fMRI studies on WMT in normal population over the last 20 years were summarized with a step-by-step approach and two assumptions based on two theories, Extended Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory(ExtPFIT) and neuro efficiency hypothesis. First, the changes in activation pattern and function connectivity of the various brain regions before and after WMT were compared using descriptive review, frequency analysis and Chi-square test. It showed that there were 5 networks, 7 macroscopic areas and 3 sub-regions in brain involved in WMT. Especially, the activation in 3 respective sub-regions of superior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule and cingulate gyrus was weakened more than their activation enhanced, and this difference was statistically significant. Then, 26 studies among them were used to conduct meta-analysis with activation likelihood estimation method, and it showed that 3 sub-regions with the statistically significant effect were middle frontal gyrus (BA6 and 8), superior frontal gyrus (BA6) and anterior cingulate gyrus (BA24 and 32). Next, based on the comprehensive results of qualitative and quantitative research analysis, a spatio-temporal model of decreased distribution in brain regions was proposed, and 5 results and their discussion were obtained with the said model. In addition, 33 studies among them were analyzed using non-parametric tests to check the factors that possibly regulated the training effect of WMT, which showed that the task type and time of WMT had statistically significant effects on brain activation. According to the above analysis, four conclusions were drawn regarding the neuroplasticity induced by WMT in normal population, i.e. 1) WMT could either weaken or enhance the brain activities, and the weakening effect appeared to be more prominent; 2) such changes occurred mostly in the frontal-parietal network, but also in the temporal network, occipital network, cingulate gyrus, striatum and other network, which reflected the whole-brain functional connectivity within a certain range. In addition, updating and shorter time of WMT tended to induce more weakening effects; 3) 3 sub-regions of the middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus highlighted the spatial characteristics, and the other three sub-regions of superior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule and cingulate gyrus mainly reflected the temporal characteristics of neuroplasticity induced by WMT; 4) ExtPFIT and neural efficiency hypothesis respectively supported the spatial-temporal characteristics of neuroplasticity induced by WMT. Finally, it was proposed that future further research of neuroplasticity induced by WMT need to distinguish the training effect reflected in 3 sub-regions of superior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule and cingulate gyrus, and to explore the comprehensive influencing factors that increase or decrease the acitivation of brains induced by WMT.
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