The Effects of Working Memory Versus Adaptive Visual Search Control Training on Executive Cognitive Function

There is considerable debate about whether working memory (WM) training specifically results in far-transfer improvements in executive cognitive function (ECF) rather than improvements on tasks similar to the training tasks. There has also been recent interest in whether WM training can improve ECF in clinical populations with clear deficits in ECFs. The current study examined the effects of WM training compared with non-WM adaptive visual search (VS) control training (15 sessions over 4 weeks) on various measures of ECF, including delay discounting (DD) rate, inhibition on flanker, color and spatial Stroop tasks, and drinking in a community-recruited sample with alcohol use disorder (AUD, 41 men, 41 women, mean age = 21.7 years), who were not in treatment or seeking treatment, and non-AUD healthy controls (37 men, 52 women, mean age = 22.3 years). Both WM and VS training were associated with improvements on all ECF measures at 4 weeks and 1-month follow-up. WM and VS training were associated with reductions in both DD rates and interference on Stroop and flanker tasks in all participants, as well as reductions in drinking in AUD participants that remained apparent 1-month post-training. The results suggest that nonspecific effects of demanding cognitive training, as opposed to specific WM training effects, could enhance ECF, and that such enhancements are retained at least 1-month post-training.

Automated summary

There is a considerable debate about whether working memory training has broad effects on executive cognitive function. This study found that both working memory and adaptive visual search training had positive effects on various measures of executive cognitive function, and these improvements remained at least 1 month after the training.