Abstract
Battlefields are dynamic environments that require robust cognitive skills and rapid responses. Temporal (timing and rhythm) training may improve coordination and cognition. This study examined Soldiers’ reaction times and working memory following neurocognitive temporal training. Forty-two soldier volunteers were assigned to either a temporal training intervention (TTI) group (n = 19) or a control (n = 23) group. Outcome measures were simple reaction time (SRT) and running memory continuous performance (RMCP). No significant difference were found in group, time, or group x time (p < .05). While not reaching statistical significance, the following were considered of practical relevance for soldiers in combat. Those receiving TTI reduced their mean correct SRT, while the control groups’ reaction time increased. For RMCP, the number of correct responses per unit of time increased for the TTI group and decreased for controls. A trend was shown for temporal training improving service members’ reaction times and running memory.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baiocchi, D.: Measuring Army Deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Rand Corporation, Santa Monica (2013)
Cox, M., Military.com: US Army Announces 1,800 Soldiers to deploy to Iraq, Afghanistan. http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/01/08/us-army-announces-1800-soldiers-to-deploy-to-iraq-afghanistan.html
United States Army: The U.S. Army concept for the human dimension in full spectrum operations (TRADOC Pamphlet 525–3-7). United States Army, Washinton, DC (2008)
Casey, G.W.: Comprehensive soldier fitness: a vision for psychological resilience in the U.S. army. Am. Psychol. 66(1), 1–3 (2015)
Pascual-Leone, A., Amedi, A., Fregni, F., Merabet, L.B.: The plastic human brain cortex. Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 28, 377–401 (2005)
Rabipour, S., Raz, A.: Training the brain: fact and fad in cognitive and behavioral remediation. Brain Cogn. 79(2), 159–179 (2012)
Kane, M.J., Engle, R.W.: The role of prefrontal cortex in working memory capacity, executive attention and general fluid intelligence: an individual - differences perspective. Psychon. Bull. Rev. 9(4), 637–671 (2002)
Elhalal, A., Davelaar, E.J., Usher, M.: The role of the frontal cortex in memory: an investigation of the Von Restorff effect. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 8, 410 (2014)
Stuss, D.T., Knight, R.T.: Principles of Frontal Lobe Function. Oxford University Press, New York (2002)
Meck, W.H., Benson, A.M.: Dissecting the brain’s internal clock: how frontal-striatal circuitry keeps time and shifts attention. Brain Cogn. 48(1), 195–211 (2002)
Thaut, M.H., Trimarchi, P.D., Parsons, L.M.: Human brain basis of musical rhythm perception: common and distinct neural substrates for meter, tempo, and pattern. Brain Sci. 4(2), 428–452 (2014)
Benchenane, K., Tiesinga, P.H., Battaglia, F.P.: Oscillations in the prefrontal cortex: a gateway to memory and attention. Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 21(3), 475–485 (2011)
Morgan, C.A., Doran, A., Steffian, G., Hazlett, G., Southwick, S.M.: Stress-induced deficits in working memory and visuo-constructive abilities in special operations soldiers. Biol. Psychiatry 60(7), 722–729 (2006)
Interactive Metronome. http://www.interactivemetronome.com/
Karmarkar, U.R., Buonomano, D.V.: Timing in the absence of clocks: encoding time in neural network states. Neuron 53(3), 427–438 (2007)
Leisman, G., Melillo, R.: Effects of motor sequence training on attentional performance in ADHD children. Int. J. Disabil. Hum. Dev. 9(4), 275–282 (2010)
Jacobs, K.M., Donoghue, J.P.: Reshaping the cortical motor map by unmasking latent intracortical connections. Science 251(4996), 944–947 (1991)
Dahlin, E., Neely, A.S., Larsson, A., Backman, L., Nyberg, L.: Transfer of learning after updating training mediated by the striatum. Science 320(5882), 1510–1512 (2008)
Taub, G.E., McGrew, K.S., Keith, T.Z.: Effects of improvements in interval timing on the mathematics achievement of elementary school students. J. Res. Child. Educ. 29(3), 352–366 (2015)
Carr, K.W., Fitzroy, A.B., Tierney, A., White-Schwoch, T., Kraus, N.: Incorporation of feeback during beat synchronization is an index of neural maturation and reading skills. Brain Lang. 164, 43–52 (2017)
Rice, V.J., Marra, D., Butler, J.: Neuro-cognitive assessment, symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and soldier performance during 68W advanced individual training. (ARL Publication No. ARL-TN-469). Army Research Laboratory, Human Research and Engineering Directorate, Aberdeen Proving Ground (2007)
Trujillo, L., Painter-Patton, J.: The Validation of the Interactive Metronome: a pilot study prior to implementation for post deployment service members. J. Neurol. Neurosci. 6, 2–7 (2015)
Cosper, S.M., Lee, G.P., Peters, S.B., Bishop, E.: Interactive metronome training in children with attention deficit developmental coordination disorders. Int. J. Rehabil. Res. 32(4), 331–336 (2009)
Shaffer, R.J., Jacokes, L.E., Cassily, J.F., Greenspan, S.I., Tuchman, R.F., Stemmer, P.J.: Effect of interactive metronome training on children with ADHD. Am. J. Occup. Ther. 55(2), 155–162 (2001)
Taub, G.E., Lazarus, P.J.: The effects of training in timing and rhythm on reading achievement. Contemp. Issues Educ. Res. 5(4), 343 (2012)
Silverman, S.J.: Effecting peak athletic performance with neurofeedback, interactive metronome, and EMDR: a case study. Biofeedback 39(1), 40–42 (2011)
Golf Digest: The beat is on: some PGA tour pros believe timing is everything, vol. 54, p. 60 (2003)
Sommer, M., Ronnqvist, L.: Improved motor-timing: effects of synchronized metronome training on golf shot accuracy. J. Sports Sci. Med. 8(4), 648–656 (2009)
Dickey, N.: Defense health board recommendation memorandum pertaining to automated neuropsychological assessment metrics 2011-10. Defense Health Board, Leesburg Pike Falls Church (2011)
Reeves, D.L., Bleiberg, J., Roebuck-Spencer, T., Cernich, A.N., Schwab, K., Ivins, B., Salazar, A.M., Harvey, S.C., Brown, F.H., Warden, D.: Reference values for performance on the automated neuropsychological assessment metric V3.0 in an active duty military sample. Mil. Med. 171(10), 982–994 (2006)
Cepeda, N.J., Blackwell, K.A., Munakata, Y.: Speed isn’t everything: complex processing speed measures mask individual differences and developmental changes in executive control. Dev. Sci. 16(2), 269–286 (2013)
Cernich, A., Reeves, D., Sun, W., Bleiberg, J.: Automated neuropsychological assessment metrics sports medicine battery. Arch. Clin. Neuropsychol. 22S(1), S101–S114 (2007)
Short, P., Cernich, A., Wilken, J.A., Kane, R.L.: Initial construct validation of frequently employed ANAM measures through structural equation modeling. Arch. Clin. Neuropsychol. 22S(1), S63–S77 (2007)
Etra, J.L.: The effect of interactive metronome training on children’s SCAN-C scores, Doctoral dissertation, Nova Southeastern University (2006)
Kuhlman, K., Schweinhart, L.J.: Timing in child development. High/Scope Educational Research Foundation (1999)
Mulder, R.: Training for the brain’technology yields academic gains at St. Thomas Aquinas HS. J. (Technol. Horiz. Educ.) 30(3), 52 (2002)
Greitzer, F.L., Andrews, D.H.: Training strategies to mitigate expectancy-induced response bias in combat identification: a research agenda. In: Andrews, D.H., Herz, R.P., Wolf, M.B. (eds.) Human Factors in Combat Identification, pp. 173–189. Ashgate Publishing Company, Burlington (2010)
Abernethy, B., Maxwell, J.P., Jackson, R.C., Masters, R.S.W.: Skill in sport. In: Durso, F.T., Nickerson, R.S., Dumais, S., Lewdandosky, S., Perfect, T.J. (eds.) Handbook of Applied Cognition, 2nd edn. Wiley, Hoboken (2007)
Barrouillet, P., Bernardin, S., Portrat, S., Vergauwe, E., Camos, V.: Time and cognitive load in working memory. J. Exp. Psychol. Learn. Mem. Cogn. 33(3), 570 (2007)
Kane, M.J., Engle, R.W.: Working-memory capacity and the control of attention: the contributions of goal neglect, response competition, and task set to stroop interference. J. Exp. Psychol. Gen. 132(1), 47–70 (2003)
Tang, Y.-Y., Posner, M.I.: Attention training and attention state training. Trends Cogn. Sci. 13(5), 222–227 (2009)
LaBar, K.S., Gitelman, D.R., Parrish, T.B., Mesulam, M.M.: Neuroanatomic overlap of working memory and spatial attention networks: a functional MRI comparison within subjects. NeroImage 10(6), 695–704 (1999)
Melby-Lervag, M., Hulme, C.: Is working memory training effective? A meta-analytic review. Dev. Psychol. 49(2), 270 (2013)
Acknowledgements
The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, or the U.S. Government.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG (outside the USA)
About this paper
Cite this paper
Overby, C.R., Rice, V., Boykin, G., Enders, L., Villarreal, J. (2018). The Impact of Neurocognitive Temporal Training on Reaction Time and Running Memory of U.S. Active Duty Personnel. In: Baldwin, C. (eds) Advances in Neuroergonomics and Cognitive Engineering. AHFE 2017. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 586. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60642-2_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-60642-2_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-60641-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-60642-2
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)