Computerized working memory training has positive long-term effect in very low birthweight preschool children.

Autor: Grunewaldt KH; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.; Department of Pediatrics, St. Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway., Skranes J; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway., Brubakk AM; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.; Department of Pediatrics, St. Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway., Lähaugen GC; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Developmental medicine and child neurology [Dev Med Child Neurol] 2016 Feb; Vol. 58 (2), pp. 195-201. Date of Electronic Publication: 2015 Jul 03.
DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.12841
Abstrakt: Aim: Working memory deficits are frequently found in children born preterm and have been linked to learning disabilities, and cognitive and behavioural problems. Our aim was to evaluate if a computerized working memory training program has long-term positive effects on memory, learning, and behaviour in very-low-birthweight (VLBW) children at age 5 to 6 years.
Method: This prospective, intervention study included 20 VLBW preschool children in the intervention group and 17 age-matched, non-training VLBW children in the comparison group. The intervention group trained with the Cogmed JM working memory training program daily for 5 weeks (25 training sessions). Extensive neuropsychological assessment and parental questionnaires were performed 4 weeks after intervention and at follow-up 7 months later. For most of the statistical analyses, general linear models were applied.
Results: At follow-up, higher scores and increased or equal performance gain were found in the intervention group than the comparison group on memory for faces (p=0.012), narrative memory (p=0.002), and spatial span (p=0.003). No group differences in performance gain were found for attention and behaviour.
Interpretation: Computerized working memory training seems to have positive and persisting effects on working memory, and visual and verbal learning, at 7-month follow-up in VLBW preschool children. We speculate that such training is beneficial by improving the ability to learn from the teaching at school and for further cognitive development.
(© 2015 Mac Keith Press.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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