Week 6 Flashcards
(10 cards)
what is the main focus in the Training the article developing brain: a neurocognitive perspective
paper
focus on (neuroscientific) training studies in the domain of cognitive control and working memory. In adults, these functions are associated with activation in a common set of regions in prefrontal and parietal cortex
how are training effects influenced by the current stage of development?
paper
Training effects differ by developmental stage. In children, training can shape neural network formation, while in adults it modifies existing structures. Immature brains may limit performance gains, but higher plasticity in youth can enhance learning. Sensitive periods driven by experience, not just age, also influence training effectiveness.
Do training effects reflect long-lasting changes of brain structure or flexibility of brain function?
paper
Training effects can reflect both, but not always structural change. Improvements often stem from functional flexibility within existing brain structures. Long-lasting structural changes occur only when training demands exceed current capacities, creating a mismatch. This requires sufficient training duration, manageable difficulty, and depends on individual plasticity limits.
How does training influence developmental trajectories?
paper
Training can either speed up normal development or change it in a different way. It uses different brain processes than typical growth and can lead to changes like more or less gray matter. While speeding up development might have some downsides, training in childhood usually has more benefits than risks
How does brain activation change after cognitive training?
paper
Training can increase, decrease, or shift brain activation depending on task demands and strategies used. Reduced activation often reflects greater efficiency, while increased or shifted activation may result from new strategies or higher task load. Changes vary by age, capacity, and whether training adapts to the individual’s ability.
How does cognitive training affect functional connectivity in the brain?
paper
Training can change how brain regions interact, both during tasks and at rest. For example, training may increase connectivity in task-relevant networks (like the frontoparietal network) and decrease it in task-negative networks (like the default mode network), reflecting more efficient or focused processing.
How does cognitive training affect brain structure?
paper
Training can lead to structural changes like alterations in gray and white matter, synapses, myelination, and neurotransmitter systems. Some neuroimaging studies show overlaps between brain areas activated during training and structural changes, but causality remains unclear and more research is needed to understand how functional and structural changes interact.
How does cognitive training affect the developing brain in children?
Training can speed up brain development, making children’s brain activation patterns more adult-like, but effects depend on the child’s developmental stage. Children may process learned tasks differently than adults. Training also benefits children with developmental disabilities by improving brain function and performance, but long-term effects need more research.
What are key considerations and future directions for cognitive training research?
Future studies need to better understand brain imaging results and control for outside factors. People’s genetics, brain development, and environment affect how well they learn. Training helps more for kids with less stimulation or education. Also, training works better on skills we don’t use every day and might harm if it replaces more useful activities.
