A cognitive training method having a processor to store exercise category data which has a number of task data, each of the task data including levels of difficulty. There is included a visual display and an audio transducer and a user interfaces actuated to accept user data in response to a selected task. The user data is sent from the user interface to the processor and the processor stores and evaluates the user input data and based upon evaluation of the user input data, adjusts a subsequent level of difficulty associated with a selected task. If user input data is above a correct data threshold, the level of difficulty may be adjusted responsive to an evaluation of the user input data. Values of training parameters are adjusted at least partially in accordance with stored user parameters, and there is transmitted to the user interface and to the user adjusted values of exercise and training parameters where at least one training task is selected to include a cue stimulus, a probe stimulus, and a distractor stimulus. A task difficulty is adjusted by selectively adjusting the task difficulty of the cue stimulus difficulty, the difficulty of the probe stimulus, and difficulty of the distractor stimulus.