Meta-analysis of computerised working memory training: behavioural gains, training parameters, transfer mechanisms, and neural correlates

Abstract Working memory training (WMT) is widely used to enhance cognitive task performance, yet traditional delivery poses challenges for sustained implementation; computerised working memory training (CWMT) provides a scalable digital format with standardised delivery and integrated monitoring and feedback. We conducted the first meta-analysis integrating behavioural and neuroimaging evidence to quantify the behavioural effects and neural correlates of CWMT, drawing on 45 neuroimaging studies. Multivariate meta-analysis indicated a moderate benefit of CWMT relative to controls (Hedges’ g = 0.503, 95% CI [0.363–0.642]). Seed-based d mapping (SDM) identified training-related decreases in activation in the left angular gyrus (L-AG), bilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG), right inferior parietal lobule (R-IPL), left cerebellum, and right middle frontal gyrus (R-MFG), a pattern compatible with reduced recruitment following training. Moderator analyses showed significant effects of task type, training compliance, total training dose, and age, but not cognitive status and sex. Moreover, CWMT-induced brain activation changes were associated with behavioural improvements, and significant co-activation was observed among the brain regions identified in the overall analysis. Together, these findings provide convergent evidence that CWMT is associated with improved cognitive task performance and reproducible modulation of task-related activation, supporting its relevance as a scalable digital approach to cognitive health.