Throughout the entire lifespan, individuals are required to adapt to the demands of changing developmental contexts and dynamic social environments. The potential modifiability of a person's cognitive and neural processes has been referred to as plasticity. One way to assess cognitive and neural plasticity is to apply training interventions and to measure the related changes in trained and untrained situations. Over the last decade, the literature on the effects of cognitive interventions has been growing rapidly, oftentimes focusing on the magnitude, scope, and maintenance of training-related benefits and their transferability to untrained tasks and abilities. Recent studies show that plasticity is present across the lifespan, although it seems to decline in older age, and that the long-term maintenance as well as the transferability of training gains strongly depends on the type and the intensity of the intervention. The findings from behavioral cognitive training research have also been accompanied by findings from cognitive neuroscience. The related observations oftentimes point to training-induced changes in a number of cortical and subcortical regions, which may be responsible for the magnitude of training and of transfer effects. Thus, cognitive training may be a promising tool for understanding basic mechanisms of adaptive behavior on the one hand and for designing applications and interventions within different disciplines in psychology on the other hand. However, not all studies have consistently shown beneficial effects of cognitive training and some questions that are critical for our understanding of plasticity are still unanswered. What are the key processes mediating training effects on laboratory tasks and in real world situations? Which characteristics of the training process and of the trainings situations mediate transfer effects? Are training effects subject to age-related changes? How are training-induced neural changes in the brain related to improvements in cognitive performance? How effective are training interventions in patients with specific cognitive impairments? To what extent can age-related cognitive decline be compensated by means of cognitive training? The focus of this Research Topic is on training-induced cognitive and neural plasticity across the lifespan. The goal is to provide a broad scope of state-of-the art research in order to enhance our knowledge regarding the mechanisms underlying plasticity. We invite contributions applying behavioral, computational, and neuroscientific approaches, reviews, and theoretical contributions. Contributions are also welcomed if they focus on the implications of cognitive training in applied fields like educational and clinical settings as well as rehabilitation and training science.

This book brings together a cutting edge international team of contributors to critically review the current knowledge regarding the effectiveness of training interventions designed to improve cognitive functions in different target populations. There is substantial evidence that cognitive and physical training can improve cognitive performance, but these benefits seem to vary as a function of the type and the intensity of interventions and the way training-induced gains are measured and analyzed. This book further fulfills the need for clarification of the mechanisms underlying cognitive and neural changes occurring after training. This book offers a comprehensive overview of empirical findings and methodological approaches of cognitive training research in different cognitive domains (memory, executive functions, etc.), types of training (working memory training, video game training, physical training, etc.), age groups (from children to young and older adults), target populations (children with developmental disorders, aging workers, MCI patients etc.), settings (laboratory-based studies, applied studies in clinical and educational settings), and methodological approaches (behavioral studies, neuroscientific studies). Chapters feature theoretical models that describe the mechanisms underlying training-induced cognitive and neural changes. Cognitive Training: An Overview of Features and Applications will be of interest to researchers, practitioners, students, and professors in the fields of psychology and neuroscience.

Recent studies show that more people than ever before are reaching old age in better health and enjoying that health for a longer time. This Handbook outlines the latest discoveries in the study of aging from bio-medicine, psychology, and socio-demography. It treats the study of aging as a multidisciplinary scientific subject, since it requires the interplay of broad disciplines, while offering high motivation, positive attitudes, and behaviors for aging well, and lifestyle changes that will help people to stay healthier across life span and in old age. Written by leading scholars from various academic disciplines, the chapters delve into the most topical aspects of aging today - including biological mechanisms of aging, aging with health, active and productive aging, aging with satisfaction, aging with respect, and aging with dignity. Aimed at health professionals as well as general readers, this Cambridge Handbook offers a new, positive approach to later life.

The premise of neuroplasticity on enhancing cognitive functioning among healthy as well as cognitively impaired individuals across the lifespan, and the potential of harnessing these processes to prevent cognitive decline attract substantial scientific and public interest. Indeed, the systematic evidence base for cognitive training, video games, physical exercise and other forms of brain stimulation such as entrain brain activity is growing rapidly. This Research Topic (RT) focused on recent research conducted in the field of cognitive and brain plasticity induced by physical activity, different types of cognitive training, including computerized interventions, learning therapy, video games, and combined intervention approaches as well as other forms of brain stimulation that target brain activity, including electroencephalography and neurofeedback. It contains 49 contributions to the topic, including Original Research articles (37), Clinical Trials (2), Reviews (5), Mini Reviews (2), Hypothesis and Theory (1), and Corrections (2).

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a significant source of death and permanent disability, contributing to nearly one-third of all injury related deaths in the United States and exacting a profound personal and economic toll. Despite the increased resources that have recently been brought to bear to improve our understanding of TBI, the developme

A comprehensive, multidisciplinary review, Neural Plasticity and Memory: From Genes to Brain Imaging provides an in-depth, up-to-date analysis of the study of the neurobiology of memory. Leading specialists share their scientific experience in the field, covering a wide range of topics where molecular, genetic, behavioral, and brain imaging techniq

The term Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is used to describe a group of children who have difficulty. with tasks involving movement such that it interferes with their daily living or academic progress. As with other developmental disorders such as autistic spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder and dyslexia, DCD is now a prominent concern of both researchers and practitioners. This text is aimed at both researchers and professionals who work in a practical manner with the condition and includes professionals in health, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, health visitors, paediatricians, and - in the educational field - teachers and others who are in daily contact with the children - their parents. The essence of the text is that work with children should be guided by research evidence driving the clinical practice which in turn raisies more questions for research. The authors in this text have both experience in research and are engaged in the day-to-day clinical work with children and bring both of these to bear in the chapters they have written.