New Study Finds Working Memory Training Produces Lasting Improvements in Kids with...

New Study Finds Working Memory Training Produces Lasting Improvements in Kids with Attention Deficits Clinical psychologist uses neuropsychological measures to verify

effectiveness of training after six monthsNAPERVILLE, Ill. & WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.--(Business Wire)--Stephen Bozylinski, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and director ofthe ADHD Clinic of Southern California, released findings from a newopen label study demonstrating the effectiveness of Cogmed WorkingMemory Training to sustainably improve attention and executiveprocessing in children with ADHD. The study found that significantimprovements in working memory, mental stamina and inhibition andsignificant decreases in ADHD symptoms remained six to eight monthsafter the training. The research supports and augments previousplacebo-controlled and peer reviewed findings from Sweden's KarolinskaInstitute that revealed a breakthrough in the way attention problemsare understood and treated. Cogmed - www.cogmed.com - is a pioneer inneurotechnology and a developer of software-based working memorytraining products. Bozylinski, a Cogmed qualified practitioner, studied 35 ADHDchildren ranging in age from seven to 17 years, who were trained onthe Cogmed Working Memory Training program. The students usedvideo-game software developed by Cogmed to perform verbal and spatialworking memory tasks five days a week, for five weeks. Each studentwas screened positively for ADHD based on a battery ofneuropsychological tests. The tests were applied to all 35 childrenbefore training and four weeks after training, with more than 90percent demonstrating significant improvements. The same tests werealso applied to 17 of the children six to eight months after training,with 80 percent retaining significant improvements. In addition,parent behavior checklists were also administered with results showingsignificant improvement in impulsivity, task initiation, workingmemory, and planning. The children were assessed while off theirmedication. "The findings validate that working memory training makessignificant and lasting improvements in the lives of students whosuffer from attention problems," said Bozylinski. "This is verypromising for a range of people who would otherwise struggle withthese debilitating issues for the rest of their lives." "We are very proud that Cogmed continues to be the subject ofmeticulous evaluation and research," said Jonas Jendi, chief executiveofficer of Cogmed. "Dr. Bozylinski's work confirms that working memorytraining improves a person's daily life for a long period of time,well beyond the duration of the training." Bozylinski presented the results during the CHADD (Children andAdults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) annualconference in Crystal City, Virginia on November 8th. Informationabout the study can be found at www.cogmed.com. About Cogmed Cogmed has made a breakthrough discovery that individuals cantrain and improve their working memory, a key function of the brainthat allows individuals to store information for brief periods oftime. Cogmed Working Memory Training helps people with attentiondeficits improve focus, impulse control and complex problem solving.Through a combination of software-based working memory exercises andpersonal coaching, participants engage in a challenging computerprogram at home. More than 80 percent of those who have completedCogmed's rigorous and rewarding training have demonstrated tangibleand lasting improvements. Cogmed's program has been validated byhigh-impact research in controlled scientific studies at theKarolinska Institute, a world-renowned medical university based inStockholm, Sweden. A leader in the emerging field of neurotechnology,Cogmed was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Naperville, Ill.Cogmed's services are provided by a growing network of more than 60expert practices around the U.S. and Canada.Sheffield Marketing PartnersCharles Thornton, 630-310-5190cthornton@sheffieldcompany.comCopyright Business Wire 2007