@misc{KuschpelLiuSchadetal.2015,
  author    = {Kuschpel, Maxim S. and Liu, Shuyan and Schad, Daniel and Heinzel, Stephan and Heinz, Andreas and Rapp, Michael A.},
  title     = {Differential effects of wakeful rest, music and video game playing on working memory performance in the n-back task},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-85151},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {The interruption of learning processes by breaks filled with diverse activities is common in everyday life. We investigated the effects of active computer gaming and passive relaxation (rest and music) breaks on working memory performance. Young adults were exposed to breaks involving (i) eyes-open resting, (ii) listening to music and (iii) playing the video game "Angry Birds" before performing the n-back working memory task. Based on linear mixed-effects modeling, we found that playing the "Angry Birds" video game during a short learning break led to a decline in task performance over the course of the task as compared to eyes-open resting and listening to music, although overall task performance was not impaired. This effect was associated with high levels of daily mind wandering and low self-reported ability to concentrate. These findings indicate that video games can negatively affect working memory performance over time when played in between learning tasks. We suggest further investigation of these effects because of their relevance to everyday activity.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{KuschpelLiuSchadetal.2015,
  author    = {Kuschpel, Maxim S. and Liu, Shuyan and Schad, Daniel and Heinzel, Stephan and Heinz, Andreas and Rapp, Michael A.},
  title     = {Differential effects of wakeful rest, music and video game playing on working memory performance in the n-back task},
  series = {Frontiers in psychology},
  journal   = {Frontiers in psychology},
  number    = {6},
  publisher = {Frontiers Research Foundation},
  address   = {Lausanne},
  issn      = {1664-1078},
  doi       = {10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01683},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {The interruption of learning processes by breaks filled with diverse activities is common in everyday life. We investigated the effects of active computer gaming and passive relaxation (rest and music) breaks on working memory performance. Young adults were exposed to breaks involving (i) eyes-open resting, (ii) listening to music and (iii) playing the video game "Angry Birds" before performing the n-back working memory task. Based on linear mixed-effects modeling, we found that playing the "Angry Birds" video game during a short learning break led to a decline in task performance over the course of the task as compared to eyes-open resting and listening to music, although overall task performance was not impaired. This effect was associated with high levels of daily mind wandering and low self-reported ability to concentrate. These findings indicate that video games can negatively affect working memory performance over time when played in between learning tasks. We suggest further investigation of these effects because of their relevance to everyday activity.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HeinzelLorenzBrockhausetal.2014,
  author    = {Heinzel, Stephan and Lorenz, Robert C. and Brockhaus, Wolf-Ruediger and Wuestenberg, Torsten and Kathmann, Norbert and Heinz, Andreas and Rapp, Michael A.},
  title     = {Working memory load-dependent brain response predicts behavioral training gains in older adults},
  series = {The journal of neuroscience},
  volume    = {34},
  journal   = {The journal of neuroscience},
  number    = {4},
  publisher = {Society for Neuroscience},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {0270-6474},
  doi       = {10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2463-13.2014},
  pages     = {1224 -- 1233},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {In the domain of working memory (WM), a sigmoid-shaped relationship between WM load and brain activation patterns has been demonstrated in younger adults. It has been suggested that age-related alterations of this pattern are associated with changes in neural efficiency and capacity. At the same time, WM training studies have shown that some older adults are able to increase their WM performance through training. In this study, functional magnetic resonance imaging during an n-back WM task at different WM load levels was applied to compare blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) responses between younger and older participants and to predict gains in WM performance after a subsequent 12-session WM training procedure in older adults. We show that increased neural efficiency and capacity, as reflected by more "youth-like" brain response patterns in regions of interest of the frontoparietal WM network, were associated with better behavioral training outcome beyond the effects of age, sex, education, gray matter volume, and baseline WM performance. Furthermore, at low difficulty levels, decreases in BOLD response were found after WM training. Results indicate that both neural efficiency (i. e., decreased activation at comparable performance levels) and capacity (i. e., increasing activation with increasing WM load) of a WM-related network predict plasticity of the WM system, whereas WM training may specifically increase neural efficiency in older adults.},
  language  = {en}
}