The degree to which executive function (EF) abilities (including working memory (WM), inhibitory control (IC), and cognitive flexibility (CF)) can be enhanced through training is an important question, however research in this area is inconsistent. Previous cognitive training studies largely agree that training leads to improvements in the trained task, but the generalizability of this improvement to other related tasks remains controversial. In this paper, we present a pre-registered experiment that used an adaptive training procedure to examine whether EFs can be enhanced through cognitive training, and directly compared the efficacy and generalisability across sub-components of EF using training programs that target WM, IC or CF vs. an active control group. Participants (n=160) first completed a battery of tasks that assessed EFs, then were randomly assigned to one of four training groups, and completed an adaptive procedure over 21 days (10 training sessions) that targeted a specific sub-component of EF (or was comparatively engaging and challenging, but did not train a specific EF). At post-test, participants returned to the lab to repeat the battery of EF tasks. Results revealed robust direct training effects (i.e. on trained task), but limited evidence to support near (i.e. same EF, different task) and far (i.e. different EF and task) transfer effects. Where indirect training benefits emerged, the effects were more readily attributable to the overlapping training/assessment task routines, rather than more general enhancements to the underlying cognitive processes or neural circuits.

通过训练可以在多大程度上提高执行功能（EF）能力（包括工作记忆（WM）、抑制控制（IC）和认知灵活性（CF））是一个重要的问题，但该领域的研究并不一致。以前的认知训练研究基本上同意训练会导致训练任务的改进，但这种改进对其他相关任务的普遍性仍然存在争议。在本文中，我们提出了一项预先注册的实验，该实验使用适应性训练程序来检验是否可以通过认知训练来增强 EF，并使用针对 WM、IC 或CF 与活性对照组。参与者 (n=160) 首先完成一系列评估 EF 的任务，然后被随机分配到四个训练组之一，并在 21 天（10 次培训课程）内完成针对 EF 特定子组件的适应性程序（或者相对有吸引力和挑战性，但没有训练特定的 EF）。测试后，参与者返回实验室重复一系列 EF 任务。结果显示了强大的直接训练效果（即在训练任务上），但支持近（即相同 EF，不同任务）和远（即不同 EF 和任务）转移效果的证据有限。在出现间接培训效益的情况下，其效果更容易归因于重叠的培训/评估任务例程，而不是对潜在认知过程或神经回路的更普遍的增强。