On measuring the effect of practice and training on the basis of EEG parameters

Author(s): Krause, W., Schack, B., Markert, C., Pies, R., Tietze, H.

Journal/Book: Z Padagog Psychol. 1999; 13: Langgass-Strasse 76, CH-3000 Bern 9, Switzerland. Verlag Hans Huber. 60-73.

Abstract: Repeated practice on cognitive tasks is known to reduce the processing time required for successful task completion, and this gain in processing speed has often been attributed to task performance becoming automated during the course of practice. It is unclear, however, what processing parameters indicate changes from controlled to more automatic processing. One promising way to answer this question is to look for functional couplings of subsystems during task performance before and after practice. It was hypothesized that the mental effort for controlled processes in working memory will be indicated by strong synchronization between frontal and parietal brain areas, and that it will be reduced over the course of practice. In 2 experiments, EEG coherence was used to assess synchronization. As expected, there was a decrease of interregional synchronization between frontal and parietal areas as a function of practica. Against this, specific parietal areas exhibited strong synchronization at the end of practice. This suggests that the automatization of task performance over the course of practice involves a shift of processing from frontal to posterior cortical areas, increasingly releasing the central executive from its controlling function.

Note: Article Sommerfeld E, Univ Leipzig, Inst Allgemeine Psychol, Seeburgstr 14-20, D-04103 Leipzig, GERMANY

Keyword(s): cognitive training; controlled processing; working memory; EEG; coherence; HUMAN WORKING-MEMORY; PREFRONTAL CORTEX; COHERENCE ANALYSIS; BRAIN ACTIVATION; TRANSFORMATIONS; COORDINATION; DYNAMICS; TASK; BAND; FMRI

Zurück | Weiter