Enhancement of cognitive processing capacity in healthy young adults through brief and intensive cognitive stimulation
Subtitle: implications for neurorehabilitation.
Published: 2005
Language: eng
Number of pages: 89
Description: Anecdotal accounts and studies from environmental enrichment suggest that cognition can be enhanced through intensive cognitive stimulation. To date, one empirical study has shown that a brief period of intensive activity could enhance cognitive capacity. This thesis aimed to (1) replicate the previous study by examining whether a brief period of cognitive stimulation could enhance cognitive processing in healthy adults and (2) extend the study, by asking whether any observed enhancements would be transient. Healthy young adults were assigned to a "Homework Intervention Group" (HIG) or a "Sham Intervention Group" (SIG). Both groups received neuropsychological assessments at three time points. The HIG performed effortful "homework" daily while the SIG performed only light reading less frequently. The HIG improved significantly on verbal memory and showed a trend towards improvement for working memory. These enhancements did not appear to persist after the cognitive stimulation was removed. Implications for neurorehabilitation are discussed.
Notes: Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-02, page: 1052.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

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