Working memory (WM) is essential for our ability to function cognitively. In this thesis we set out to examine the effects of computerized WM training in adults, through a randomized, comparison group controlled and double blind design. We measured this using a neuropsychological test called Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT), which measures executive functions. The participants (N106), divided into four groups, young (20-30), old (60-70) and training-low dose. They trained with a computerized WM training program called Rememo© at home for five days a week during a period of five weeks. Before and after training they took the test, and then again after three months. The training gave significant improvement on PASAT performance in both young and old, and that the effect was significant at follow up. In conclusion, WM training has an effect even outside the specific tasks trained, which gives strong support to the theory of generalization and also support findings of plasticity in the aging brain.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-71).

The present study investigated age differences in implicit memory for positive, negative and neutral words. We also explored how cognitive control and time of testing influence emotional memory. Participants completed a one-back picture comparison task with superimposed distracting emotional and neutral words. Memory for distracting words was tested using an implicit memory test and cognitive control by a flanker task. Priming was significant for negative but not for positive and neutral words. Memory for distracting negative words was greater at non-optimal times of day for young adults but similar across the day for older adults. A high level of cognitive control was related to greater priming for negative words in young adults and lower priming in older adults. Priming for neutral words was enhanced in high cognitive control participants when stimuli contained emotional words that were relevant to one’s goals, implicating the use of emotion regulation at an unconscious level.

The present study investigated age differences in implicit memory for positive, negative and neutral words. We also explored how cognitive control and time of testing influence emotional memory. Participants completed a one-back picture comparison task with superimposed distracting emotional and neutral words. Memory for distracting words was tested using an implicit memory test and cognitive control by a flanker task. Priming was significant for negative but not for positive and neutral words. Memory for distracting negative words was greater at non-optimal times of day for young adults but similar across the day for older adults. A high level of cognitive control was related to greater priming for negative words in young adults and lower priming in older adults. Priming for neutral words was enhanced in high cognitive control participants when stimuli contained emotional words that were relevant to one’s goals, implicating the use of emotion regulation at an unconscious level.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Psychology and Dept. of Linguistics, June 1999. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 2000. / Running title: Implict memory and Alzheimer's disease. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in Psychology. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-62). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pMQ99301

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1998. / Title from title page screen, viewed July 14, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Jeff Laurent, Salvatore J. Catanzaro (co-chairs), Connie B. Horton, Alvin E. House. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-83) and abstract. Also available in print.

No description available.

A idéia de que memória possa ser segregada em diferentes sistemas e processos possui uma longa história. O desenvolvimento desta concepção esteve associada a casos clínicos envolvendo pacientes amnésicos, estimulando a noção da existência de funções cognitivas específicas relacionadas ao funcionamento de regiões específicas do sistema nervoso. Considerando o contexto histórico no qual se inserem os modelos de memória de longa duração explícita e implícita, a proposta do presente trabalho foi avaliar (1) a extensão da aquisição de conhecimento implícito percepto-motor por meio da imaginação vista aqui como um mecanismo de manipulação de informações na memória operacional, por controle da atenção, e (2) se conhecimento implícito adquirido num dado contexto de treino pode ser utilizado em novos contextos, contrariando conceitos estabelecidos na área, de que esse tipo de conhecimento está firmemente associado ao contexto em que se deu a aquisição. O Experimento 1 mostrou inequivocamente que há aquisição de habilidades motoras por meio de treino imaginativo e, adicionalmente, que essa aquisição segue um curso temporal idêntico àquele observado na aquisição por treino real, sugerindo que ambos os tipos de aquisição exibem propriedades similares, podendo ser equivalentes. O Experimento 2 mostrou que a aquisição de conhecimento implícito envolvendo leitura de texto cujos caracteres foram submetidos a variados tipos de rotação favorece o desempenho na leitura de texto com rotação completamente nova, indicando que o conhecimento implícito adquirido previamente foi flexivelmente empregado no desempenho da nova tarefa. No conjunto, esses resultados mostram que a manipulação de conteúdos na memória operacional permite adquirir conhecimento implícito “de-cima-para-baixo" e que a utilização desse tipo de conhecimento não está restrita ao contexto de sua aquisição, podendo ser empregado flexivelmente em novas situações. Esses resultados indicam para a necessidade de revisão dos conceitos vigentes sobre a interação entre sistemas de memória e sobre as propriedades do sistema de memória implícita / The notion that memory may be dissociated in distinct systems is antique. The development of this assumption seems to be associated with studies involving amnesic patients, which contributed for the notion that specific cognitive functions are underlied for specific brain regions. Taking into account the historic context in which the models for explicit and implicit long-term memory developed, the aims of this study was to evaluate (1) to which extent there is acquisition of perceptual-motor implicit knowledge by way of imagery - seen here as a manner of handling information in working memory by control of attention, and (2) to which extent implicit knowledge acquired in a specific context may be used to solve problems in novel contexts, confronting established assumptions that this type of knowledge is strongly associated to the context of its acquisition. The Experiment 1 showed that there is acquisition of perceptual-motor implicit knowledge by way of imagination; the time-course for this acquisition is similar to that seen when acquisition occurs by actual task performance, suggesting that similar properties underlie both types of acquisition. The Experiment 2 showed that prior implicit knowledge acquisition related to reading rotated texts favors performance for reading texts with completely novel types of rotations, indicating the occurrence of transfer of training and, more importantly, that implicit knowledge was flexibly used for performance of a novel task. Taken together, these results show that handling information in working memory promotes “top-down" acquisition of perceptualmotor implicit knowledge and that this type of knowledge is not strictly associated to the specific context of its acquisition, being used for novel tasks. These results indicate the need for a review of the current assumptions about the interaction of memory systems and about the admitted properties of the implicit memory system.