Age-related changes in inhibition after cognitive training

Abstract

Cognitive intervention research focused on enhancing brain plasticity in healthy or mildly impaired older adults using training of different functions, such as mental speed, working memory or attention. As the age-related impairment of memory and executive functions is associated with decrease in inhibitory control, we investigated age-related inhibition effect after computer-based measuring and free self-determined program of these functions training in groups of younger and older adults. The findings demonstrate training-induced more slowly improvement of both memory and mental speed as well as reduced the inhibition-deficit in older than younger adults. Independently from age, different implicitly created strategies of remembering by retrieval-induced forgetting or forward effect of testing was revealed. Cognitive training induced the increased memory retrieval in younger with dominated forward effect of testing but in the seniors with pronounced inhibition function. So, computerized memory training differently stimulates cognitive reserves due to learning effect in younger and restored inhibition in older adults.