Publications

@article{Sjowall2017,
title = {No long-term effect of physical activity intervention on working memory or arithmetic in preadolescents},
author = {Douglas Sjöwall and Mattias Hertz and Torkel Klingberg},
doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01342},
issn = {16641078},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-01-01},
journal = {Frontiers in Psychology},
volume = {8},
number = {AUG},
pages = {1--10},
abstract = {We investigate if increased physical activity leads to enhanced working memory capacity and arithmetic performance, in a 2-year school-based intervention in preadolescent children (age 6-13). The active school (n = 228) increased physical activity (aimed at increasing cardiovascular fitness) from 2 to 5 days a week while the control school (n = 242) remained at 2 days. Twice a year, participants performed tests of arithmetic as well as verbal and spatial working memory. They also rated stress with a questionnaire at the start and at the end of the intervention. There was no beneficial development of working memory or arithmetic for the active school as compared to the control school. Furthermore, subgroup analyses revealed no favorable intervention effect for high/low baseline fitness, cognition or grit. Unexpectedly, a significant increase in self-rated stress was detected for the active school and this effect was driven by girls rather than boys and by the younger rather than older children. These results indicate that longtime high intensity physical activity does not lead to a beneficial development of working memory or arithmetic in preadolescent children.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

@article{Klingberg2005,
title = {Computerized Training of Working Memory in Children With ADHD-A Randomized, Controlled Trial},
author = {Torkel Klingberg and Elisabeth Fernell and Pernille J Olesen and Mats Johnson and Per Gustafsson and Kerstin Dahlström and Christopher G Gillberg and Hans Forssberg and Helena Westerberg},
url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0890856709614271},
doi = {10.1097/00004583-200502000-00010},
issn = {08908567},
year = {2005},
date = {2005-02-01},
journal = {Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry},
volume = {44},
number = {2},
pages = {177--186},
abstract = {OBJECTIVE Deficits in executive functioning, including working memory (WM) deficits, have been suggested to be important in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). During 2002 to 2003, the authors conducted a multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial to investigate the effect of improving WM by computerized, systematic practice of WM tasks. METHOD Included in the trial were 53 children with ADHD (9 girls; 15 of 53 inattentive subtype), aged 7 to 12 years, without stimulant medication. The compliance criterion (textgreater20 days of training) was met by 44 subjects, 42 of whom were also evaluated at follow-up 3 months later. Participants were randomly assigned to use either the treatment computer program for training WM or a comparison program. The main outcome measure was the span-board task, a visuospatial WM task that was not part of the training program. RESULTS For the span-board task, there was a significant treatment effect both post-intervention and at follow-up. In addition, there were significant effects for secondary outcome tasks measuring verbal WM, response inhibition, and complex reasoning. Parent ratings showed significant reduction in symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity, both post-intervention and at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that WM can be improved by training in children with ADHD. This training also improved response inhibition and reasoning and resulted in a reduction of the parent-rated inattentive symptoms of ADHD.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}