Working memory training helped memory tests, with little spread to other skills

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   The 23 studies covered children and adults. Some had ADHD or reading and learning difficulties, and others did not.

2. 02

   What they did

   People did computer exercises that train working memory for at least two weeks, about 12 hours in total. Some other groups got no training. Others did a computer task that took similar time and attention.

3. 03

   What happened

   Right after training, memory tests improved a lot, and attention improved somewhat. The memory gains had faded some months later, and the attention gain was gone. Reasoning did not improve in the best studies, and reading, verbal skills and arithmetic showed no difference.

What the review found

1. HelpedFocus

   Right after training, people did better on an attention test than the other groups did.

   • Action: Train attention and memory with exercisestested

   Pooled analysis of 10 studies with 362 people · vs people who got no training or another computer task · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

2. HelpedOther outcomes

   Right after training, people did much better on memory tests than the other groups did.

   • Action: Train attention and memory with exercisestested

   Pooled analysis of 21 studies with 1,348 people · vs people who got no training or another computer task · ⚠ the studies disagreed a lot; mixes trials with other kinds of study

3. HelpedOther outcomes

   Right after training, people did a bit better on reasoning tests, but not in the best studies.

   • Action: Train attention and memory with exercisestested

   Pooled analysis of 22 studies with 1,156 people · vs people who got no training or another computer task · ⚠ signs that small negative studies went unpublished; mixes trials with other kinds of study

4. No differenceOther outcomes

   Arithmetic scores did not differ between people who trained and the other groups.

   • Action: Train attention and memory with exercisestested

   Pooled analysis of 7 studies with 386 people · vs people who got no training or another computer task · ⚠ mixes trials with other kinds of study

Source