Decision-Making Deficits in Elderly Can Be Alleviated by Attention Training

Journal of Clinical Medicine

David Koch¹  Ulrike Rumpf¹  Patrick Müller¹  Marlen Schmicker¹  Inga Menze¹  NotgerG. Müller¹  Lasse Pelzer¹ 

[1] Neuroprotection Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg 39120, Germany;

关键词: visual working memory;    selective attention;    decision-making;    aging;    cognitive training;    distractor inhibition;    prominent deck B phenomenon;   

DOI  :  10.3390/jcm8081131

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Decision-making is an important everyday function that deteriorates during normal aging. Here, we asked whether value-based decision-making can be improved in the elderly by cognitive training. We compared the effects of two training regimens on the performance in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a real-life decision-making simulation task. Elderly participants (age 62−75 years) were randomized into three matched groups. The filter training (FT) group performed a selective attention task and the memory training (MT) group performed a memory storage task on five consecutive days. The control group (CG) did not perform another task besides the IGT. Only the FT group showed an improvement in IGT performance over the five days—the overall gain rose and the prominent deck B phenomenon decreased. The latter refers to the selection of cards associated with high gains and rare losses, which are nevertheless a disadvantageous choice as the frequent losses lead to a negative net outcome. As the deck B phenomenon has been associated with impaired cognitive abilities in aging, the positive effect of FT here is of special importance. In sum, attention training seems superior in improving decision-making in the elderly.

【 授权许可】

Unknown