Auditory Cognitive Training Improves Brain Plasticity in Healthy Older Adults: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial
The number of older adults is increasing globally. Aging is associated with cognitive and sensory decline. Additionally, declined auditory performance and cognitive function affect the quality of life of older adults. Therefore, it is important to develop an intervention method to improve both audit...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.826672/full |
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| author | Natasha Y. S. Kawata Rui Nouchi Rui Nouchi Kentaro Oba Yutaka Matsuzaki Ryuta Kawashima Ryuta Kawashima Ryuta Kawashima |
| author_facet | Natasha Y. S. Kawata Rui Nouchi Rui Nouchi Kentaro Oba Yutaka Matsuzaki Ryuta Kawashima Ryuta Kawashima Ryuta Kawashima |
| author_sort | Natasha Y. S. Kawata |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The number of older adults is increasing globally. Aging is associated with cognitive and sensory decline. Additionally, declined auditory performance and cognitive function affect the quality of life of older adults. Therefore, it is important to develop an intervention method to improve both auditory and cognitive performances. The current study aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of auditory and cognitive training on auditory ability and cognitive functions in healthy older adults. Fifty healthy older adults were randomly divided into four training groups—an auditory-cognitive training group (AC training; n = 13), an auditory training group (A training; n = 13), a cognitive training group (C training; n = 14), and an active control group (n = 12). During the training period, we reduced the sound intensity level in AC and A training groups and increase training task difficulty in AC, A, and C training groups based on participants’ performance. Cognitive function measures [digit-cancelation test (D-CAT); logical memory (LM); digit span (DS)], auditory measures [pure-tone audiometry (PTA)], and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed before and after the training periods. We found three key findings. First, the AC training group showed difference between other training groups (A, C, and active control training groups) in regional gray matter volume (rGMV) in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the left inferior temporal gyrus (L. ITG), the left superior frontal gyrus, the left orbitofrontal cortex, the right cerebellum (lobule 7 Crus 1). Second, the auditory training factor groups (ATFGs, the AC and A training groups) improved auditory measures and increased the rGMV and functional connectivity (FC) in the left temporal pole compared to the non-ATFGs (the C training group and active control group). Third, the cognitive training factor groups (CTFGs; the AC and C training groups) showed statistically significant improvement in cognitive performances in LM and D-CAT compared to the non-CTFGs (the A training group and active control group). Therefore, the auditory training factor and cognitive training factor would be useful in enhancing the quality of life of older adults. The current AC training study, the plasticity of the brain structure was observed after 4 weeks of training. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T22:23:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-417ec23dded9428cb8f3c325b813b7a1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1663-4365 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T22:23:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-417ec23dded9428cb8f3c325b813b7a12022-12-21T23:29:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652022-03-011410.3389/fnagi.2022.826672826672Auditory Cognitive Training Improves Brain Plasticity in Healthy Older Adults: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled TrialNatasha Y. S. Kawata0Rui Nouchi1Rui Nouchi2Kentaro Oba3Yutaka Matsuzaki4Ryuta Kawashima5Ryuta Kawashima6Ryuta Kawashima7Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, JapanDepartment of Cognitive Health Science, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, JapanSmart Aging Research Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, JapanDepartment of Human Brain Science, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, JapanDepartment of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, JapanDepartment of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, JapanSmart Aging Research Center, Tohoku University, Sendai, JapanDepartment of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer (IDAC), Tohoku University, Sendai, JapanThe number of older adults is increasing globally. Aging is associated with cognitive and sensory decline. Additionally, declined auditory performance and cognitive function affect the quality of life of older adults. Therefore, it is important to develop an intervention method to improve both auditory and cognitive performances. The current study aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of auditory and cognitive training on auditory ability and cognitive functions in healthy older adults. Fifty healthy older adults were randomly divided into four training groups—an auditory-cognitive training group (AC training; n = 13), an auditory training group (A training; n = 13), a cognitive training group (C training; n = 14), and an active control group (n = 12). During the training period, we reduced the sound intensity level in AC and A training groups and increase training task difficulty in AC, A, and C training groups based on participants’ performance. Cognitive function measures [digit-cancelation test (D-CAT); logical memory (LM); digit span (DS)], auditory measures [pure-tone audiometry (PTA)], and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed before and after the training periods. We found three key findings. First, the AC training group showed difference between other training groups (A, C, and active control training groups) in regional gray matter volume (rGMV) in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the left inferior temporal gyrus (L. ITG), the left superior frontal gyrus, the left orbitofrontal cortex, the right cerebellum (lobule 7 Crus 1). Second, the auditory training factor groups (ATFGs, the AC and A training groups) improved auditory measures and increased the rGMV and functional connectivity (FC) in the left temporal pole compared to the non-ATFGs (the C training group and active control group). Third, the cognitive training factor groups (CTFGs; the AC and C training groups) showed statistically significant improvement in cognitive performances in LM and D-CAT compared to the non-CTFGs (the A training group and active control group). Therefore, the auditory training factor and cognitive training factor would be useful in enhancing the quality of life of older adults. The current AC training study, the plasticity of the brain structure was observed after 4 weeks of training.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.826672/fullauditory-cognitive trainingcognitive functionauditory abilityolder adultstemporal pole |
| spellingShingle | Natasha Y. S. Kawata Rui Nouchi Rui Nouchi Kentaro Oba Yutaka Matsuzaki Ryuta Kawashima Ryuta Kawashima Ryuta Kawashima Auditory Cognitive Training Improves Brain Plasticity in Healthy Older Adults: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience auditory-cognitive training cognitive function auditory ability older adults temporal pole |
| title | Auditory Cognitive Training Improves Brain Plasticity in Healthy Older Adults: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full | Auditory Cognitive Training Improves Brain Plasticity in Healthy Older Adults: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | Auditory Cognitive Training Improves Brain Plasticity in Healthy Older Adults: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Auditory Cognitive Training Improves Brain Plasticity in Healthy Older Adults: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_short | Auditory Cognitive Training Improves Brain Plasticity in Healthy Older Adults: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | auditory cognitive training improves brain plasticity in healthy older adults evidence from a randomized controlled trial |
| topic | auditory-cognitive training cognitive function auditory ability older adults temporal pole |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.826672/full |
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