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Table 1 Characteristics of studies included

From: Effects of computerized cognitive training on neuroimaging outcomes in older adults: a systematic review

Reference

Study Samplea

Study Design Length of follow-up

MRI Magnet

Neuroimaging Outcome Measures

Cognition measured (test name)

Suo et al. [19] 2016

Older adults with MCI

N = 100

70.1 Â± 6.7 years

Completed MRI: N = 79

RCT

Assessments at baseline and 6 months

3 T

• Volumetric Structural MRI

• Resting-state fMRI

Global Cognition (ADAS-Cog) [41]

â—‹ Memory Domain

â—‹ Executive Function

â—‹ Attention-Speed

Rosen et al. [18] 2011

Older adults with MCI

N = 12

74.34 Â± 9.25 years

Training

N = 6

70.67 Â± 10.58 years

Control

N = 6

78 Â± 7.92 years

RCT

Assessments conducted on average 72 Â± 26 days apart

3 T

• Task-based fMRI

 • Incidental Auditory-Verbal Repetition paradigm

Memory (Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status: RBANS) [42]

Lampit et al. [16] 2015

Healthy older adults: Subsample from Timecourse Trial

N = 12

71.43 Â± 7.48 years

Training

N = 7

72.3 Â± 8 years

Control

N = 5

70.2 Â± 6.7 years

RCT

Assessments at baseline, 3 weeks: Follow Up 1(FU1), 3 months: Follow Up 2 (FU2)

Secondary analysis

3 T

• Volumetric Structural MRI

• Resting-state fMRI

• Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

• DTI

Global Cognition:

Composite of memory and information processing speed (Mindstreams battery) [43] as well as executive function (Average Mindstreams Stroop Interference test for Inhibition [43] and Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) Stockings of Cambridge problems solving) [44, 45]

Belleville et al. [21] 2014

Healthy community-dwelling older adults

N = 40

69 Â± 6.27 years

Training group 1

N = 12

68.58 Â± 8.16 years

Training group 2

N = 14

69.57 Â± 5.81 years

Training group 3

N = 14

68.79 Â± 5.13 years

Quasi-experimental

Pre-post

Assessments 1 week before and 1 week after training

3 T

• Task-based fMRI

 • Alphanumeric equation task

 • Visual detection task

Tasks performed as single-task and dual-task

Reaction Time (Alphanumeric equation task and visual detection task)

Accuracy (Alphanumeric equation task and visual detection task)

Lin et al. [17] 2014

Older adults with a history of a stroke

N = 34

69.21 Â± 4.93 years

Training

N = 16

62.4 Â± 6.0 years

Control

N = 18

63.2 Â± 5.7 years

RCT

Assessments at baseline and 10 weeks

3 T

• Resting state fMRI

Memory (Wechsler Memory Scale) [46]

Executive Function (Trail Making Test) [47]

Strenziok et al. [24] 2014

Healthy older adults

N = 42

69.21 Â± 4.93 years

Training group 1

N = 14

69.70 Â± 6.9 years

Training group 2

N = 14

68.52 Â± 5.6 years

Training group 3

N = 14

69.41 Â± 2.3 years

Quasi-experimental

Pre-post

Length of follow up: Not stated

Not stated

• Resting-state fMRI

• DTI

Reasoning/Problem Solving (WAIS III Matrix Reasoning subtest, [48] Everyday problems Test, [49] Word Series and Letter Series Tests) [50]

Episodic Memory (Wechsler Memory Scale Logical Memory Subtest) [51, 52]

Spatial Working Memory (Information-processing Visuo-Spatial Delayed Match-to-Sample Test) [53, 54]

Auditory Working Memory (Letter Number Sequencing subtest of WAIS III) [48]

Lövden et al. [23] 2010

Healthy older adultsb: Subsample COGITO study

N = 25

69.32 Â± 3.12 years

Training

N = 12

68.9 Â± 2.7 years

Control

N = 13

69.7 Â± 3.5 years

Quasi-experimental

Pre-post

Training:

Pre-post MRI on average 179 Â± 25.2 days apart

Control:

Pre-post MRI on average 184 Â± 15.0 days apart

1.5 T

• DTI

Spatial Working Memory (3-Back)c

Numerical Working Memory (Memory Updating)c

Figural-Spatial Episodic Memory (Object-Position Memory)c

Numerical Episodic Memory (Number-noun pairs)c

Verbal Episodic Memory (Wordlist)c

Perceptual Speed (Choice Reaction Task, Comparison tasks)c

Antonenko et al. [20] 2016

Healthy older adults

N = 25

69 Â± 6 years

Quasi-experimental

Pre-post

Assessments 1 day before (pre), 1 day after (post) and 1 month after (follow-up) trainingd

3 T

• Volumetric Structural MRI

• DTI

Cued recall (3-alternative-forced-choice recall task (AFC); main outcome) [55] and recognition

Episodic Memory control task (German Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) [56]

Heinzel et al. [22] 2014

Healthy older adultsc

N = 19

65.95 Â± 3.73 years

Quasi-experimental

Pre-post

Subset of 15 older individuals performed pre-post MRI

Length of follow up: Not stated

3 T

• Volumetric Structural MRI

• Task-based fMRI

 • N-back [57]: two runs (16 blocks/run) with 4 working memory loads (0, 1, 2, 3)

• Functional Connectivity (PPI)

Relative Working Memory Training gain (n-Back) [57]

Short-term memory (Digit span Fwd and Bwd WAIS III) [51]

Processing Speed (Digit Symbol WAIS III, [51] D2 Test [58])

Executive Functions: Verbal Fluency (Controlled Oral Word Association Test) [59]

Inhibition (Stroop) [60]

Abstract Reasoning (Raven’s SPM [61], Figural Relations subtest [62])

  1. MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging, DTI Diffusion Tensor Imaging, fMRI functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, RCT Randomized Controlled Trial
  2. aMean age Â± standard deviation
  3. bA sample of young adults was included in the study as well
  4. cBehavioural outcomes only measured for intervention groups
  5. dOnly cognitive assessments at one month follow-up (no MRI)