Extended working memory training with the dual n-back task has been shown to improve performance on various untrained cognitive tasks, but previous findings were inconsistent with regard to the extent of such transfer. The dual n-back training task addresses multiple components of working memory as sequential information from two different stimulus modalities needs to be simultaneously encoded, maintained, continuously monitored and updated in working memory while irrelevant information needs to be inhibited. However, it is unclear which executive functions account for the observed transfer effects. In this study, the degree of inhibitory control required during training was manipulated by comparing two versions of the dual n-back task in which participants are asked to either respond or withhold a response on the less frequent trials when an item was identical to an item n trials back. Eight 80-min sessions of training with adaptive versions of both n-back tasks were shown to improve working memory updating. Moreover, in contrast to the standard n-back task, training on the inhibitory n-back task was found to reduce the interference in working memory produced by task-irrelevant speech. This result suggests that enhanced demand for inhibitory control during training enables transfer to the inhibition of distractor interference, whereas the standard n-back task primarily affects working memory updating. The training effects did not transfer to the inhibition of spatially incompatible responses in a Simon task, and it yielded no far transfer effects to untrained executive functions or measures of fluid intelligence.

使用双n- back 任务的扩展工作记忆训练已被证明可以提高各种未经训练的认知任务的表现，但之前的研究结果与这种迁移的程度不一致。双重n- back 训练任务解决了工作记忆的多个组成部分，因为来自两种不同刺激方式的顺序信息需要在工作记忆中同时编码、维护、持续监控和更新，同时需要抑制不相关的信息。然而，尚不清楚哪些执行功能解释了观察到的转移效应。在这项研究中，通过比较双n的两个版本来控制训练期间所需的抑制控制程度-back 任务，当一个项目与一个项目相同时，参与者被要求对不太频繁的试验做出回应或拒绝回应n次试验。使用两个n- back 任务的自适应版本进行了 8 次 80 分钟的训练，以改善工作记忆更新。此外，与标准的n- back 任务相比，抑制性n- back 任务的训练被发现可以减少与任务无关的语音对工作记忆的干扰。这一结果表明，在训练期间对抑制控制的需求增强可以转移到抑制干扰物干扰，而标准n-back 任务主要影响工作记忆更新。训练效果并没有转移到西蒙任务中对空间不相容反应的抑制，并且它对未经训练的执行功能或流体智力的测量没有产生远距离的转移效应。