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Working memory training is unlikely to be an effective treatmentfor children suffering from disorders such asattention-deficit/hyperactivity or dyslexia , according to a research analysis published by the AmericanPsychological Association. In addition, memory training tasksappear to have limited effect on healthy adults and childrenlooking to do better in school or improve their cognitive skills. "The success of working memory training programs is often based onthe idea that you can train your brain to perform better, usingrepetitive memory trials, much like lifting weights builds musclemass," said the study's lead author, Monica Melby-Lerv g, PhD,of the University of Oslo. "However, this analysis shows thatsimply loading up the brain with training exercises will not leadto better performance outside of the tasks presented within thesetests." The article was published online in Developmental Psychology. Working memory enables people to complete tasks at hand byallowing the brain to retain pertinent information temporarily.Working memory enhancing tasks usually involve trying to get peopleto remember information presented to them while they are performingdistracting activities. For example, participants may be presentedwith a series of numbers one at a time on a computer screen. Thecomputer presents a new digit and then prompts participants torecall the number immediately preceding. More difficult versionsmight ask participants to recall what number appeared two, three orfour digits ago. In this meta-analysis, researchers from the University of Oslo andUniversity College London examined 23 peer-reviewed studies with 30different comparisons of groups that met their criteria. Thestudies were randomized controlled trials or experiments, had somesort of working memory treatment and a control group. The studiescomprised a wide range of participants, including young children,children with cognitive impairments, such as ADHD , and healthy adults. Most of the studies had been published withinthe last 10 years. Overall, working memory training improved performance on tasksrelated to the training itself but did not have an impact on moregeneral cognitive performance such as verbal skills, attention,reading or arithmetic. "In other words, the training may help youimprove your short-term memory when it's related to the taskimplemented in training but it won't improve reading difficultiesor help you pay more attention in school," said Melby-Lerv g. In recent years, several commercial, computer-based working memorytraining programs have been developed and purport to benefitstudents suffering from ADHD, dyslexia, language disorders, pooracademic performance or other issues. Some even claim to boostpeople's IQs. These programs are widely used around the world inschools and clinics, and most involve tasks in which participantsare given many memory tests that are designed to be challenging,the study said. "In the light of such evidence, it seems very difficult to justifythe use of working memory training programs in relation to thetreatment of reading and language disorders," said Melby-Lerv g."Our findings also cast strong doubt on claims that working memorytraining is effective in improving cognitive ability and scholasticattainment." Additional References Citations. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Roof Roll Forming Machine , Metal Slitting Machine, and more. For more , please visit Roof Roll Forming Machine today!
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