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Cited by 15Cognitive Abilities and TestingNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesCognitive Functions and Memory

What Is Targeted When We Train Working Memory? Evidence From a Meta-Analysis of the Neural Correlates of Working Memory Training Using Activation Likelihood Estimation

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Vartanian, Oshin, Replete, Vladyslava, Saint, Sidney Ann, Lam, Quan, Forbes, Sarah, Beaudoin, Monique E., Brunyé, Tad T., Bryant, David J. +6 more·2022·Frontiers in Psychology
DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.868001PMC PMC9005969
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Abstract

Working memory (WM) is the system responsible for maintaining and manipulating information, in the face of ongoing distraction. In turn, WM span is perceived to be an individual-differences construct reflecting the limited capacity of this system. Recently, however, there has been some evidence to suggest that WM capacity can increase through training, raising the possibility that training can functionally alter the neural structures supporting WM. To address the hypothesis that the neural substrates underlying WM are targeted by training, we conducted a meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of WM training using Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE). Our results demonstrate that WM training is associated exclusively with decreases in blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses in clusters within the fronto-parietal system that underlie WM, including the bilateral inferior parietal lobule (BA 39/40), middle (BA 9) and superior (BA 6) frontal gyri, and medial frontal gyrus bordering on the cingulate gyrus (BA 8/32). We discuss the various psychological and physiological mechanisms that could be responsible for the observed reductions in the BOLD signal in relation to WM training, and consider their implications for the construct of WM span as a limited resource.

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  • Working memory is a core component of human cognition, enabling short-term maintenance and online manipulation of information while supporting higher-order processes including attentional regulation, executive control, and reasoning.

    “Working memory is a core component of human cognition, enabling the short-term maintenance and online manipulation of information while supporting higher-order processes including attentional regulation, executive control, and reasoning7–9.”

    From Meta-analysis of computerised working memory training: behavioural gains, training parameters, transfer mechanisms, and neural correlates (2026) · cites this paper as [8]

    The Introduction defines working memory as active maintenance during ongoing processing and describes information being maintained and manipulated. The Discussion treats working-memory capacity as a resource that can enable cognitive processes, but the cited passages do not specifically establish its role in attentional regulation, executive control, and reasoning. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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  • Existing behavioural and neuroimaging syntheses are constrained by inadequate modelling of within-study dependent effect sizes and absence of an effect-size framework that can jointly integrate activation increases and decreases.

    “Nevertheless, existing behavioural and neuroimaging syntheses remain constrained by key methodological limitations, including inadequate modelling of within-study dependent effect sizes and the absence of an effect-size framework that can jointly integrate activation increases and decreases7,8,20.”

    From Meta-analysis of computerised working memory training: behavioural gains, training parameters, transfer mechanisms, and neural correlates (2026) · cites this paper as [8]

    The Introduction’s ‘Aims of Present Meta-Analysis’ section says prior neuroimaging meta-analyses found both activation increases and decreases, and this paper examines the directions separately. The Method’s ‘Activation Likelihood Estimation’ section describes pooling activation coordinates, but neither passage identifies inadequate modelling of within-study dependent effect sizes or a missing effect-size framework for jointly integrating both directions. Searches for those methodological limitations found no supporting passage; page numbers were unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.72)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Perkins D. N. Salomon G. (1994). “ Transfer of learning,” in International Handbook of Educational Research, 2nd Edn, eds Husen T. Postelwhite T. N. (Oxford: Pergamon Press), 6452– 6457.

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Authors
Vartanian, O., Replete, V., Saint, S. A., Lam, Q., Forbes, S., Beaudoin, M. E., Brunyé, T. T., Bryant, D. J., Feltman, K. A., Heaton, K. J., McKinley, R. A., Van Erp, J. B. F., Vergin, A., & Whittaker, A.
Affiliations
  • Defence Research and Development Canada (CA)
  • Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (US)
  • Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (US)
  • United States Army Aeromedical Research Lab (US)
  • U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (US)
  • United States Air Force Research Laboratory (US)
  • Federal Ministry of Defence (DE)
  • Ministry of Defence (GB)
Corresponding author
Vartanian, Oshin
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Psychology
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2022-03-30
Volume
13
Pages
868001-868001
ISSN
1664-1078 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fpsyg.2022.868001
PMC
PMC9005969
OpenAlex
W4220787406
Cited by
15
References
108
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1
FWCI
0.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Twente Research Information (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • TNO Repository (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • University of Twente Research Information (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Government of Canada
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
Keywords
working memory training, working memory span, individual differences, inferior parietal lobule, frontal cortex, medial frontal gyrus, limited cognitive resources

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