Effects of working memory training on depressive symptoms and frontal alpha asymmetry: a pilot study

Campos, Carlos; Paiva, Tiago; Ribeiro, Luís; Tripologos, Sofia; Barbosa, Fernando; Tavares, Diana; Rocha, Nuno

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/22646

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Abstract(s)

To assess the effects of working memory training (WMT) on depressive symptoms and frontal alpha asymmetry of young adults with moderate-severe depression. : 30 participants were randomly allocated to the WMT or control groups. Two subjects dropped out and one participant was excluded from EEG analysis.The WMT group completed 5 sessions of automatically adjusted n-back training (starting from 2-back) and the control group only performed 1-back trials. Main outcome measures were self reported depressive symptoms and frontal alpha asymmetry (pre- and post-training). There was a significant time*group interaction for self-reported depression (p = .047, ηp² = .144) and F4-F3 alpha asymmetry (p = .043, ηp² = .153). Post-hoc analysis revealed significant improvements in depression on the WMT group (p < .001) and non-significant findings regarding F4-F3 alpha asymmetry. There was no significant interaction for F8-F7 alpha asymmetry (p = .115, ηp² = .096). WMT may be an effective tool to reduce depressive symptoms. Frontal alpha asymmetry should be explored as a neurophysiological outcome measure of cognitive training efficacy.

Keywords

Cognitive training Working memory Depression EEG Frontal alpha asymmetry

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/22646

Citation

Carlos Campos, Tiago Paiva, Luís Ribeiro, Sofia Tripologos, Fernando Barbosa, Diana Tavares, & Nuno Rocha. (2019). Effects of working memory training on depressive symptoms and frontal alpha asymmetry: A pilot study. III INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF PSYCHOBIOLOGY, 106.