Long-Term Maintenance of Inhibition Training Effects in Older Adults: 1-and 3-Year Follow-Up

The aim of this study is to examine the long-term maintenance of training benefits in inhibition, as measured with the Stroop task, in older adults over 1- and 3-year periods. Participants from an original 6-session Stroop training study (Wilkinson & Yang, 2012 [Wilkinson, A. J., & Yang, L. (2012). Plasticity of inhibition in older adults: Retest practice and transfer effects. Psychology and Aging, 27, 606-615. doi:10.1037/a0025926]) were invited to come back to the lab to complete a single session of the Stroop task at 2 different time points. Thirty-three older adults returned for the 1-year follow-up session, and 26 of them returned for the 3-year follow-up session. The results revealed maintenance of the training-induced inhibition gains at both follow-up sessions. Furthermore, performance at the 2 follow-up sessions was better (i.e., reduced Stroop ratio interference score) than baseline level. The findings demonstrate the durability of inhibition training gains in older adults for up to a 3-year period. These results further extend the literature on long-term maintenance of cognitive training benefits in older adults by examining the durability of training effects in inhibition, an important executive function, and by covering a substantial maintenance period (i.e., up to 3 years).