December 2017
in
Military Psyschology
Working Memory (WM) capacity has been linked to performance on a wide range of elementary and higher order cognitive tasks. Due to evidence suggesting that NeuroTracker speed thresholds are an indicator of the quality of high-level brain function, and because it is an adaptive task, the researchers selected NeuroTracker to investigate whether training could improve WM capacities. A further reason was to test a training approach with short intervention times for practical military implementations for the Canadian Armed Forces.
41 soldiers in the Canadian Armed Forces volunteered for the study. First they were tested on three WM span tasks: word (verbal) span, matrix span, and visual span, establishing a baseline measure for each test. Participants were then distributed evenly into 3 groups based on demographic and cognitive factors,Experimental group: performed 10 NeuroTracker Core sessions over a 2 week periodActive control group: performed an adaptive dual n-back task over a 2 week period Passive control group: No activity over a 2 week periodAt the end of the two weeks, the three WM span tests were retaken.
For the NeuroTracker group, speeds thresholds increased considerably over the 10 sessions, and training resulted in a significant pre-post increase in word span, matrix span, and visual span, with medium to large effect sizes. In contrast, for the active control, group training did not alter any of the WM span measures. Similarly, WM span measures did not alter for the passive control group. The researchers concluded that a short amount of NeuroTracker training can benefit WM capacity in a military sample. Additionally, the consistent NeuroTracker improvements across each type of WM span reflect a primarily domain-general construct (a generality of WM capacity).
NeuroTracker training reveals some moderate benefits for the decision-making abilities of law enforcement officers engaged in active duty.
To investigate if NeuroTracker training can improve perceptual-cognitive skills related to decision-making skills for law enforcement officers.
40 elite law enforcement officers completed a pre-post test experiment on a video based simulated task environment to establish baseline scores for situational awareness, anticipation and decision-making skills. Participants were randomly assigned to training, control and passive groups. The training group completed NeuroTracker sessions around duty schedules over a period of three-weeks. Pre- and post-testing was scored by five police procedures subject-matter-experts.
The simulated task results showed an average decline in scores, the control participants remained unchanged, while the NeuroTracker group showed moderate increases. Improvements in NeuroTracker scores were observed overall, but varied atypically. Although some far transfer effects to law enforcement decision-making abilities were seen, fatigue and stress-related effects of active duty may have influenced results.
A 20-30 minute NeuroTracker training intervention significantly improves multiple object tracking skills and working memory abilities.
To assess transfer from a NeuroTracker training intervention to near, mid-level, far transfer tasks.
84 graduate participants (av. 21 years old) were randomized to 3 trained groups and 1 passive control group. The trained groups completed either 5 or 3 standard sessions of NeuroTracker, or 5 sessions of a portable version of NeuroTracker (Microsoft Surface Pro tablet). The passive group completed only pre-post NeuroTracker baselines. All groups then completed pre-post assessments on a simplified 2D multiple object tracking task, an N-back working memory assessment, and on a video-based military driving task.
All trained groups showed significant improvements in NeuroTracker scores from 20-30 minutes of training. The passive control group also showed some modest improvements from only completing baselines. NeuroTracker training transferred to significant pre-post improvements in the 2D multiple object tracking test, but with smaller effects that improvements in NeuroTracker scores. Performance was found to be significantly better post-training for the trained groups on the working memory test, but not for the control group. No transfer effects were found for the video-based military task.
NeuroTracker baselines along with neuropsychological and mood assessments detect no pre-post significant cognitive changes from BDNF supplementation.
To examine if β-Alanine supplementation can increase brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) to benefit cognition and mood under anticipatory stress prior to simulated military operations.
19 healthy males were randomized into and active group (14 days of β-Alanine Supplementation) and a placebo group. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included NeuroTracker baselines, visuomotor reaction time (Dynavision™), mathematical processing (Serial Subtraction Test), and neuropsychological assessments (ANAM™). Mood was assessed using the Profile of Mood States questionnaire.
No change in measures of cognitive function or BDNF concentrations were observed. However, the active group experienced significant reductions in subjective feelings of depression.
3 hours of NeuroTracker training improves verbal and matrix working memory span in Canadian armed forces personnel.
To investigate if working memory in Canadian Armed Forces can be improved with unsupervised remote NeuroTracker training as a practical performance enhancement tool.
66 Canadian Armed Forces soldiers were randomly assigned to NeuroTracker training (30 sessions over two weeks), Dual n-back training, or a passive control group. Verbal and matrix WM span were assessed before and after training, along with the Multi-Attribute Task Battery: MATB-II multi-tasking assessment.
Both active groups improved on the training tasks with 10-50% improvement in post-training working memory measures. No significant transfer was found for the MATB-II multi-tasking assessment.
NeuroTrackerX is a cognitive training program designed to assess and improve mental performance.
