• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.177-188
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• 2024

In this research, a cohort of two children, aged 7-8 years, was selected to participate in a specialized three-week training program aimed at enhancing their working memory. The program consisted of three sessions, each lasting approximately 30 minutes. The primary goal was to investigate the impact and developmental trajectory of working memory in school-aged children. Working memory plays a significant role in young children's learning and daily activities. To address the needs of this demographic, products should offer both educational and enjoyable activities that engage working memory. Digital educational tools, known for their flexibility, are suitable for both older individuals and young children. By updating software or modifying content, these tools can be effectively repurposed for young learners without extensive hardware changes, making them both cost-effective and practical. For example, memory training games initially designed for older adults can be adapted for young children by altering images, music, or storylines. Furthermore, incorporating elements familiar to children, like animals, toys, or fairy tales, can increase their engagement in these activities. Historically, working memory capabilities have been assessed predominantly through traditional intelligence tests. However, recent research questions the adequacy of these behavioral measures in accurately detecting changes in working memory. To bridge this gap, the current study utilized electroencephalography (EEG) as a more sophisticated and precise tool for monitoring potential changes in working memory after the training. The research findings were revealing. Participants showed marked improvement in their performance on n-back tasks, a standard measure for evaluating working memory. This improvement post-training strongly supports the effectiveness of the training program. The results indicate that such targeted and structured training programs can significantly enhance the working memory abilities of children in this age group, providing promising implications for educational strategies and cognitive development interventions.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2017

Objectives: Executive dysfunction including working memory deficit has been suggested to be one of the major neuropsychological etiologies of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the augmentative effects of Cogmed working memory training on the symptoms and neurocognitive functions in medicated children and adolescents with ADHD. Methods: Twenty-five children with ADHD, aged 7 to 19 years, taking ADHD medication participated in this study. The participants were trained for 5 weeks with a commercially available and computerized working memory program ($Cogmed^{(R)}$) without any changes to their medication. The Korean version of the ADHD Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression Scale, and Comprehensive Attention Test were administered before training and 4 weeks and 7 months after training, respectively. Results: After completing the training, the clinical symptoms and function, rated by the parents and clinician, were improved. In addition, the level of commission errors was significantly reduced in the selective attention (visual/auditory) task, sustained attention to response task, and flanker task. The untrained visuospatial short-term memory and working memory were also improved. These effects were still observed 7 months after the training. Conclusion: Cogmed working memory training can be a promising training option for the additional improvement of the symptoms and deficits in working memory and response inhibition in medicated children with ADHD.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 2017

Objectives: Executive dysfunctions including working memory deficit have been suggested to be one of the major neuropsychological etiologies of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the augmentative effects of working memory training on the behavioral problems, quality of life, and parental stress of medicated children with ADHD. Methods: Twenty-five children with ADHD, aged 9 to 19 years, who were being treated with ADHD medication, were included. The participants were trained with a commercially available and computerized working memory program ($Cogmed^{(R)}$) for 5 weeks without any alteration of their medication. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), KIDSCREEN-52 quality of life measure, and Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) were administered before training, and 4 weeks and 7 months after training, respectively. Results: After completing the training, the anxiety/depression, social problems, thought problems, attention problems, aggressive behavior, and externalizing problems scores in the CBCL were significantly reduced. The score on the Parent-child dysfunctional interaction in the PSI-SF was also decreased. However, the scores related to the quality of life were not changed. These changes were still observed 7 months after the training. Conclusion: Cogmed working memory training can be a promising training option for the additional improvement of behavioral problems and parental stress in medicated children with ADHD.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was to examine the effectiveness of computerized cognitive ability enhancement program (CCAEP) using Smarttoy. The CCAEP using Smart-toy which can interact with children via bluetooth is a kids-friendly and convenient method for improving children's cognitive abilities by increasing their motivation for performing the program. We developed the CCAEP which designed to train auditory-verbal memory, visual-spatial memory, auditory-verbal working memory, and visual-spatial working memory. Methods: Eighteen children aged 8 to 10 participated in CCAEP individual training composed of 8 sessions of 40 minutes each for 4 weeks. The effect of the training was measured with Smart Toyweb's cognitive assessment tasks (smart device based assessment) as well as traditional neuropsychological tests before and after the training. Results: Children showed significant improvement in auditory-verbal memory, visual-spatial memory, auditory-verbal working memory and visual-spatial working memory abilities after the training. Conclusion: This study demonstrated promising results suggesting the effectiveness of CCAEP using Smart-Toy in clinical settings as well as school and home situations. Further controlled study with larger sample size including various clinical groups is needed to confirm the present results.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.71-83
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• 2017

Objective: This study was to develop and verify the effects of the exercise-cognitive combined dual-task training program on cognitive function and depression of the elderly with mild cognitive impairment(MCI). Methods: The subjects were randomly assigned to the exercise-cognitive combined dual-task training group(n=32) or single-task training group(n=31). To identify the effects on cognitive function, general cognitive function, frontal lobe function, and attention/working memory were measured. Depression was evaluated using Korean version of Geriatric Depression Scale. The outcome measurements were performed before and after the 8 weeks of intervention(2 days per week). Results: After 8 weeks, general cognitive function, frontal cognitive function, attention/working memory function, depression of the dual-task training group were significantly increased than those of the single-task training group(p<0.05). Conclusion: The results indicated that an exercise-cognitive combined dual-task training for MCI was effective in improving general cognitive function, frontal /executive function, attention/working memory function and reducing depression.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.277-286
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• 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation and traditional cognitive training on the working memory and executive function of patients with mild traumatic brain injury. The sample consisted of 20 patients with mild traumatic brain injury who had received rehabilitation treatment in a rehabilitation unit. The subjects were assigned to either the experimental (n = 10) or control group (n = 10). The experimental group received computer-based cognitive rehabilitation and traditional cognitive training for 60 minutes, whereas the control group received only traditional cognitive training for 60 minutes. Both the groups received their respective interventions for 60 minutes a day and 5 times per week across a period of 4 weeks. Working memory and executive function were assessed using the digit span test (forward and backward), visual memory 1 and 2 of the Motor-free Visual Perception Test-3, trail making test, and Stroop test (A and B) both before and after the intervention. The experimental group showed a significantly greater improvement in visual memory and performance on the Stroop test A than the control group. These findings suggest that computer-based cognitive rehabilitation and traditional cognitive training are more effective in promoting positive changes in the working memory and executive function of individuals with mild traumatic brain injury than traditional cognitive training.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.266-277
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to design a mobile-application of a cognitive training program for people who have chemo-related cognitive complaints. Methods: The program was developed based on the network-based instructional system design proposed by Jung. The program consisted of several tasks centered on four cognitive domains: learning, memory, working memory, and attention. For memory learning, a target-image and all its elements (color, position, and number) were presented on the screen that had to be recognized among a number of distractor-figures. In working memory training, the previous learned target-figure according to the level of difficulty had to be remembered among many different figures. In attention training named "Find the same figure," two identical symbols in a grid-pattern filled with different images were presented on the screen, and these had to be simultaneously touched. In attention training named "Find the different figure," a different symbol in a grid pattern filled with same figures had to be selected. This program was developed to train for a minimum of 20 min/day, four days/week for six weeks. Results: This cognitive training revealed statistically significant improvement in subjective cognitive impairments (t=3.88, p=.006) at six weeks in eight cancer survivors. Conclusion: This cognitive training program is expected to offer individualized training opportunities for improving cognitive function and further research is needed to test the effect in various settings.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.467-479
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• 2022

Working memory (WM), which plays a vital role in daily activities, is a memory system that temporarily stores and processes information when people are engaged in complex cognitive activities. The influence of music on WM has been widely studied. In this work, we conducted a series of n-back memory experiments with different task difficulties and multiple trials on 14 subjects under the condition of no music and Alpha wave leading music. The analysis of behavioral data show that the change of music condition has significant effect on the accuracy and time of memory reaction (p<0.01), both of which are improved after the stimulation of Alpha wave music. Behavioral results also suggest that short-term training has no significant impact on working memory. In the further analysis of electrophysiology (EEG) data recorded in the experiment, auto-regressive (AR) model is employed to extract features, after which an average classification accuracy of 82.9% is achieved with support vector machine (SVM) classifier in distinguishing between before and after WM enhancement. The above findings indicate that Alpha wave leading music can improve WM, and the combination of AR model and SVM classifier is effective in detecting the brain activity changes resulting from music stimulation.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.155-164
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• 2004

Objective:The present study examined the association between basic neurocognitive functions and emotional recognition in chronic schizophrenia. Furthermore, to Investigate cognitive variable related to emotion recognition in Schizophrenia. Methods:Forty eight patients from the Yongin Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center were evaluated for neurocognitive function, and Emotional Recognition Test which has four subscales finding emotional clue, discriminating emotions, understanding emotional context and emotional capacity. Measures of neurocognitive functioning were selected based on hypothesized relationships to perception of emotion. These measures included:1) Letter Number Sequencing Test, a measure of working memory;2) Word Fluency and Block Design, a measure of executive function;3) Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Korean version, a measure of verbal memory;4) Digit Span, a measure of immediate memory;5) Span of Apprehension Task, a measure of early visual processing, visual scanning;6) Continuous Performance Test, a measure of sustained attention functioning. Correlation analyses between specific neurocognitive measures and emotional recognition test were made. To examine the degree to which neurocognitive performance predicting emotional recognition, hierarchical regression analyses were also made. Results:Working memory, and verbal memory were closely related with emotional discrimination. Working memory, Span of Apprehension and Digit Span were closely related with contextual recognition. Among cognitive measures, Span of Apprehension, Working memory, Digit Span were most important variables in predicting emotional capacity. Conclusion:These results are relevant considering that emotional information processing depends, in part, on the abilities to scan the context and to use immediate working memory. These results indicated that mul- tifaceted cognitive training program added with Emotional Recognition Task(Cognitive Behavioral Rehabilitation Therapy added with Emotional Management Program) are promising.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.178-188
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• 2021

Background and Objectives: The influence of musical aptitude on cognitive test performance in musicians is a long-debated research question. Evidence points to the low performance of nonmusicians in visual and auditory cognitive tasks (working memory and attention) compared with musicians. This cannot be generalized to all nonmusicians, as a sub-group in this population can have innate musical abilities even without any formal musical training. The present study aimed to study the effect of musical aptitude on the working memory and selective attention. Subjects and Methods: Three groups of 20 individuals each (a total of 60 participants), including trained-musicians, nonmusicians with good musical aptitude, and nonmusicians with low musical aptitude, participated in the present study. Cognitive-based visual (Flanker's selective attention test) and auditory (working memory tests: backward digit span and operation span) tests were administered. Results: MANOVA (followed by ANOVA) revealed a benefit of musicianship and musical aptitude on backward digit span and Flanker's reaction time (p<0.05). Discriminant function analyses showed that the groups could be effectively (accuracy, 80%) segregated based on the backward digit span and Flanker's selective attention test. Trained musicians and nonmusicians with good musical aptitude were distinguished as one cluster and nonmusicians with low musical aptitude formed another cluster, hinting the role of musical aptitude in working memory and selective attention. Conclusions: Nonmusicians with good musical aptitude can have enhanced working memory and selective attention skills like musicians. Hence, caution is required when these individuals are included as controls in cognitive-based visual and auditory experiments.