Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41204102›Full record

Trial reportBMC geriatrics2025

Short- and long-term cognitive and electrophysiological effects of a brief working memory training in older adults: a pilot study.

Erika Borella, Elena Carbone, Chiara Spironelli

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC geriatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Erika BorellaDepartment of General Psychology, University of Padova, via Venezia, 8, Padova, 35131, Italy. erika.borella@unipd.it.
Elena CarboneDepartment of General Psychology, University of Padova, via Venezia, 8, Padova, 35131, Italy.
Chiara SpironelliDepartment of General Psychology, University of Padova, via Venezia, 8, Padova, 35131, Italy. chiara.spironelli@unipd.it.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWorking memory (WM) training in aging promotes an individual’s more flexible use of their resources. Conversely, WM training neural correlates have been rarely examined. In this pilot study, we aimed to assess both behavioral and neural correlates of WM training of trained and untrained (transfer effects) tasks in the short and long term.

methodsWith a double-blind, repeated-measures experimental design, 30 community-dwelling older adults (aged from 64 to 75) were randomly assigned to a training group (TG) or an active control group.

resultsFor the trained task, behavioral data indicated an improved WM performance, and electrophysiological data showed a lateralized event-related potential activation after training and 6 months later (follow-up) in the TG only. Clear transfer effects (n-back task) maintained at the follow-up appeared only on the electrophysiological level.

conclusionsThese results suggest that WM training can represent a promising approach to sustain older adults’ cognitive functioning and to modulate cortical plasticity, inducing long-lasting left-lateralized activation.

Indexed as

CognitionEvoked PotentialsMemory, Short-TermAgedAgingCognitive EnhancementCognitive TrainingDouble-Blind MethodFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsTime FactorsCognitive benefitsCognitive trainingCortical plasticityERP training changesLong-term effectsOlder adultsTransfer effectsWorking memory

Identifiers

PMID41204102
PMCPMC12595693

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.