Artificial Cognitive Systems Applied in Executive Function Stimulation and Rehabilitation Programs: A Systematic Review

Carolina Robledo-Castro; Luis F Castillo-Ossa; Juan M Corchado

doi:10.1007/s13369-022-07292-5

Artificial Cognitive Systems Applied in Executive Function Stimulation and Rehabilitation Programs: A Systematic Review

Arab J Sci Eng. 2023;48(2):2399-2427. doi: 10.1007/s13369-022-07292-5. Epub 2022 Sep 28.

Authors

Carolina Robledo-Castro^{1

2}, Luis F Castillo-Ossa^#^{2

3

4}, Juan M Corchado^#^{5

6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Currículo, Universidad y Sociedad Research Group, Universidad del Tolima, Calle 42 1-02, 730006299 Ibagué, Colombia.
² Ingeniería del Software Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Manizales, Antigua Estación del Ferrocarril, 170001 Manizales, Colombia.
³ Inteligencia Artificial Research Group, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 26-10, 170002 Manizales, Colombia.
⁴ Departamento de Ingeniería Indutrial, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Manizales, Campus La Nubia, 170001 Manizales, Colombia.
⁵ BISITE Research Group, University of Salamanca, Calle Espejo s/n, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
⁶ Air Institute, IoT Digital Innovation Hub, 37188 Salamanca, Spain.
⁷ Department of Electronics, Information and Communication, Osaka Institute of Technology, 535-8585 Osaka, Japan.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

This article presents a systematic review of studies on cognitive training programs based on artificial cognitive systems and digital technologies and their effect on executive functions. The aim has been to identify which populations have been studied, the characteristics of the implemented programs, the types of implemented cognitive systems and digital technologies, the evaluated executive functions, and the key findings of these studies. The review has been carried out following the PRISMA protocol; five databases have been selected from which 1889 records were extracted. The articles were filtered following established criteria, to give a final selection of 264 articles that have been used for the purposes of this study in the analysis phase. The findings showed that the most studied populations were school-age children and the elderly. The most studied executive functions were working memory and attentional processes, followed by inhibitory control and processing speed. Many programs were commercial, customizable, gamified, and based on classic tasks. Some more recent initiatives have begun to incorporate user-machine interfaces, robotics, and virtual reality, although studies on their effects remain scarce. The studies recognize multiple benefits of computerized neuropsychological stimulation and rehabilitation programs for executive functions in different age groups, but there is a lack of studies in specific population sectors and with more rigorous research designs.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13369-022-07292-5.

Keywords: Artificial cognitive systems; Computrized cognitive training; Executive functions; Systematic review.

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