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Eaves DL, Hodges NJ, Buckingham G, Buccino G, Vogt S. Enhancing motor imagery practice using synchronous action observation. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 88:1891-1907. [PMID: 36574019 PMCID: PMC11315722 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01768-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we discuss a variety of ways in which practising motor actions by means of motor imagery (MI) can be enhanced via synchronous action observation (AO), that is, by AO + MI. We review the available research on the (mostly facilitatory) behavioural effects of AO + MI practice in the early stages of skill acquisition, discuss possible theoretical explanations, and consider several issues related to the choice and presentation schedules of suitable models. We then discuss considerations related to AO + MI practice at advanced skill levels, including expertise effects, practical recommendations such as focussing attention on specific aspects of the observed action, using just-ahead models, and possible effects of the perspective in which the observed action is presented. In section "Coordinative AO + MI", we consider scenarios where the observer imagines performing an action that complements or responds to the observed action, as a promising and yet under-researched application of AO + MI training. In section "The dual action simulation hypothesis of AO + MI", we review the neurocognitive hypothesis that AO + MI practice involves two parallel action simulations, and we consider opportunities for future research based on recent neuroimaging work on parallel motor representations. In section "AO + MI training in motor rehabilitation", we review applications of AO, MI, and AO + MI training in the field of neurorehabilitation. Taken together, this evidence-based, exploratory review opens a variety of avenues for future research and applications of AO + MI practice, highlighting several clear advantages over the approaches of purely AO- or MI-based practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L Eaves
- School of Biomedical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
| | - Nicola J Hodges
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Gavin Buckingham
- Department of Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Giovanni Buccino
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele and Vita Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefan Vogt
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
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2
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Scott MW, Mulligan D, Kuehne M, Zhu M, Ma M, Hodges NJ. Effector-specific improvements in action prediction in left-handed individuals after short-term physical practice. Cortex 2024; 178:18-31. [PMID: 38964150 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Research has established the influence of short-term physical practice for enhancing action prediction in right-handed (RH) individuals. In addition to benefits of physical practice for these later assessed perceptual-cognitive skills, effector-specific interference has been shown through action-incongruent secondary tasks (motor interference tasks). Here we investigated this experience-driven facilitation of action predictions and effector-specific interference in left-handed (LH) novices, before and after practicing a dart throwing task. Participants watched either RH (n = 19) or LH (n = 24) videos of temporally occluded dart throws, across a control condition and three secondary-task conditions: tone-monitoring, RH or LH force monitoring. These conditions were completed before and after physical practice throwing with the LH. Significantly greater improvement in prediction accuracy was shown post-practice for the LH- versus RH-video group. Consistent with previous work, effector-specific interference was shown, exclusive to the LH-video group. Only when doing the LH force monitoring task did the LH-video group show secondary task interference in prediction accuracy. These data support the idea that short-term physical practice resulted in the development of an effector-specific motor representation. The results are also consistent with other work in RH individuals (showing RH motor interference) and hence rule out the interpretation that these effector specific effects are due to the disruption of more generalized motor processes, thought to be lateralized to the left-hemisphere of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Scott
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Desmond Mulligan
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Mareike Kuehne
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Megan Zhu
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Minghao Ma
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nicola J Hodges
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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3
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Chen Z, Wang D, Fang W, Luan M. The Impact of Skill Level on the Integration of Information and Post-Error Adjustment during Action Anticipation in Basketball. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:423. [PMID: 38785914 PMCID: PMC11117715 DOI: 10.3390/bs14050423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study examined the impact of skill level on the integration of contextual prior information and kinematic information alongside post-error adjustment during action anticipation in basketball. Twenty-three collegiate basketball players and twenty-three control participants engaged in anticipating as quickly and accurately as possible the outcomes of free throws, utilizing video clips depicting basketball players' actions, both with and without contextual prior information. Anticipatory performance and the difference in anticipatory performance following errors and correct responses were analyzed based on skill level and the congruency of contextual prior information (none, congruent, and incongruent). The findings revealed that the congruency of contextual prior information significantly affects action anticipation, with skill level moderating this effect. Moreover, skill level influenced the congruency effect on accuracy discrepancies between post-error and post-correct trials during action anticipation, with controls showing greater sensitivity to previous trial performance compared to experts. These results provide further evidence for the notion that individuals employ Bayesian reliability-based strategies to integrate different information sources and underscore the role of skill level in adjusting anticipatory judgments following errors during action anticipation. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of the cognitive and behavioral mechanisms that differentiate skill levels in action anticipation, potentially guiding the development of targeted training interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhefu Chen
- School of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China;
| | - Danlei Wang
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China;
| | - Wenxuan Fang
- School of Athletic Performance, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China;
| | - Mengkai Luan
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China;
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Li J, Cao Y, Huang M, Qin Z, Lang J. Progressive increase of brain gray matter volume in individuals with regular soccer training. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7023. [PMID: 38528027 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57501-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate alterations in gray matter volume in individuals undergoing regular soccer training, using high-resolution structural data, while also examining the temporal precedence of such structural alterations. Both voxel-based morphometry and source-based morphometry (SBM) methods were employed to analyze volumetric changes in gray matter between the soccer and control groups. Additionally, a causal network of structural covariance (CaSCN) was built using granger causality analysis on brain structural data ordering by training duration. Significant increases in gray matter volume were observed in the cerebellum in the soccer group. Additionally, the results of the SBM analysis revealed significant increases in gray matter volume in the calcarine and thalamus of the soccer group. The analysis of CaSCN demonstrated that the thalamus had a prominent influence on other brain regions in the soccer group, while the calcarine served as a transitional node, and the cerebellum acted as a prominent node that could be easily influenced by other brain regions. In conclusion, our study identified widely affected regions with increased gray matter volume in individuals with regular soccer training. Furthermore, a temporal precedence relationship among these regions was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Li
- College of P.E. and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yaping Cao
- College of P.E. and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Minghao Huang
- College of P.E. and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Zhe Qin
- College of P.E. and Sports, Northwest Normal University, Gansu, 730070, China
| | - Jian Lang
- College of P.E. and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
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5
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Chen YH, Huang SK. The influence of pitcher handedness on pitch-calling behavior: Insights from fMRI study on baseball umpires. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14501. [PMID: 38217057 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
This functional magnetic resonance imaging study delves into the impact of experience and pitcher handedness on the pitch-calling behavior of baseball umpires. Expert and intermediate umpires were asked to make ball/strike calls on videotaped pitches of left- and right-handed pitchers and rate their certainty for the call while undergoing scanning. Behavioral results replicated previous findings that expert umpires were more certain but not more accurate or quicker than intermediate umpires, suggesting that, as sports officials, umpires may learn to project confidence to maintain control of the game. At the neural level, expert umpires exhibited more extensive and pronounced activations within the action observation network, dorsal striatum, and cerebellum. These heightened neural responses were probably associated with their enhanced visual processing abilities for pitching action and ball trajectory, honed over years of officiating. Notably, both expert and intermediate umpires exhibited decreased accuracy when judging pitches from left-handed pitchers compared to right-handed ones. These challenges in accuracy corresponded with weaker neural activations in the aforementioned brain regions, implying difficulties in processing specific visual details of the rarely encountered left-handed pitchers. Moreover, slightly longer reaction times and reduced uncertainty were observed particularly for left-handed ball pitches, as revealed by lower activation in the right premotor cortex, highlighting issues with predictive processing. In summary, our findings shed light on the influence of pitcher handedness on the pitch-calling behavior of baseball umpires and extend the current understanding of the perceptual and decision-making behavior of sports officials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin-Hua Chen
- Graduate Institute of Athletics and Coaching Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Kuei Huang
- Department of Physical Education, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Yang CJ, Yu HY, Hong TY, Shih CH, Yeh TC, Chen LF, Hsieh JC. Trait representation of embodied cognition in dancers pivoting on the extended mirror neuron system: a resting-state fMRI study. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1173993. [PMID: 37492559 PMCID: PMC10364845 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1173993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Dance is an art form that integrates the body and mind through movement. Dancers develop exceptional physical and mental abilities that involve various neurocognitive processes linked to embodied cognition. We propose that dancers' primary trait representation is movement-actuated and relies on the extended mirror neuron system (eMNS). Methods A total of 29 dancers and 28 non-dancer controls were recruited. A hierarchical approach of intra-regional and inter-regional functional connectivity (FC) analysis was adopted to probe trait-like neurodynamics within and between regions in the eMNS during rest. Correlation analyses were employed to examine the associations between dance training, creativity, and the FC within and between different brain regions. Results Within the eMNS, dancers exhibited increased intra-regional FC in various brain regions compared to non-dancers. These regions include the left inferior frontal gyrus, left ventral premotor cortex, left anterior insula, left posterior cerebellum (crus II), and bilateral basal ganglia (putamen and globus pallidus). Dancers also exhibited greater intrinsic inter-regional FC between the cerebellum and the core/limbic mirror areas within the eMNS. In dancers, there was a negative correlation observed between practice intensity and the intrinsic FC within the eMNS involving the cerebellum and basal ganglia. Additionally, FCs from the basal ganglia to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were found to be negatively correlated with originality in dancers. Discussion Our results highlight the proficient communication within the cortical-subcortical hierarchy of the eMNS in dancers, linked to the automaticity and cognitive-motor interactions acquired through training. Altered functional couplings in the eMNS can be regarded as a unique neural signature specific to virtuoso dancers, which might predispose them for skilled dancing performance, perception, and creation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Ju Yang
- Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yen Yu
- Graduate Institute of Arts and Humanities Education, Taipei National University of the Arts, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Yi Hong
- Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Heng Shih
- Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Chen Yeh
- Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Li-Fen Chen
- Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Chuen Hsieh
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-devices (IDSB), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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Musco MA, Zazzera E, Paulesu E, Sacheli LM. Error observation as a window on performance monitoring in social contexts? A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 147:105077. [PMID: 36758826 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Living in a social world requires social monitoring, i.e., the ability to keep track of others' actions and mistakes. Here, we demonstrate the good reliability of the behavioral and neurophysiological indexes ascribed to social monitoring. We also show that no consensus exists on the cognitive bases of this phenomenology and discuss three alternative hypotheses: (i) the direct matching hypothesis, postulating that observed errors are processed through automatic simulation; (ii) the attentional hypothesis, considering errors as unexpected events that take resources away from task processing; and (iii) the goal representation hypothesis, which weighs social error monitoring depending on how relevant the other's task is to the observer's goals. To date, evidence on the role played by factors that could help to disentangle these hypotheses (e.g., the human vs. non-human nature of the actor, the error rate, and the reward context) is insufficient, although the goal representation hypothesis seems to receive more support. Theory-driven experimental designs are needed to enlighten this debate and clarify the role of error monitoring during interactive exchanges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Adelaide Musco
- Department of Psychology and Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMi), University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126 Milan, Italy.
| | - Elisa Zazzera
- Department of Psychology and Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMi), University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Eraldo Paulesu
- Department of Psychology and Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMi), University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126 Milan, Italy; IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, via Riccardo Galeazzi 4, 20161 Milano, Italy
| | - Lucia Maria Sacheli
- Department of Psychology and Milan Center for Neuroscience (NeuroMi), University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20126 Milan, Italy.
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8
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Chen YH, Chang CY, Huang SK. Strike or ball? Batters know it better: an fMRI study of action anticipation in baseball players. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:3221-3238. [PMID: 35788641 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To assess whether the brain processes of action anticipation are modulated differently by perceptual and motor experiences, baseball batters, pitchers, and non-players were asked to predict the fate of pitching actions (strike or ball) while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results showed both batters (perceptual experts of pitching action) and pitchers (motor experts) were more accurate than non-players. Furthermore, batters demonstrated higher perceptual sensitivity in discriminating strikes than non-players. All groups engaged the action observation network, putamen, and cerebellum during anticipation, while pitchers showed higher activity than non-players in the left premotor cortex, which has been implicated in the internal simulation of observed action. Only batters exhibited differences in strike versus ball pitches in their left ventral extrastriate cortex, which might be associated with the processing of relevant visual information conveyed by the observed pitcher's movement kinematics and pitch trajectory. Moreover, all groups showed higher activity selectively in the striatum, thalamus, sensorimotor cortices, and cerebellum during correct predictions than during incorrect ones, with most widespread activation in batters, reinforcing the greater involvement of the sensorimotor system in perceptual experience. Our findings demonstrate that perceptual experience might enhance action anticipation ability to a greater extent than motor experience, with overlapping but specific neural underpinnings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin-Hua Chen
- Graduate Institute of Athletics and Coaching Science, National Taiwan Sport University, No. 250, Wenhua 1st Road, Guishan, Taoyuan 33301, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yen Chang
- Department of Physical Education, National Taiwan Normal University, No. 162, Sec. 1, Heping E. Road, Taipei 10610, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Kuei Huang
- Department of Physical Education, Chinese Culture University, No. 55, Hwa-Kang Road, Yang-Ming-Shan, Taipei 11114, Taiwan
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Topical Review: Perceptual-cognitive Skills, Methods, and Skill-based Comparisons in Interceptive Sports. Optom Vis Sci 2021; 98:681-695. [PMID: 34328450 DOI: 10.1097/opx.0000000000001727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE We give a comprehensive picture of perceptual-cognitive (PC) skills that could contribute to performance in interceptive sports. Both visual skills that are low level and unlikely influenced by experience and higher-level cognitive-attentional skills are considered, informing practitioners for identification and training and alerting researchers to gaps in the literature.Perceptual-cognitive skills and abilities are keys to success in interceptive sports. The interest in identifying which skills and abilities underpin success and hence should be selected and developed is likely going to grow as technologies for skill testing and training continue to advance. Many different methods and measures have been applied to the study of PC skills in the research laboratory and in the field, and research findings across studies have often been inconsistent. In this article, we provide definitional clarity regarding whether a skill is primarily visual attentional (ranging from fundamental/low-level skills to high-level skills) or cognitive. We review those skills that have been studied using sport-specific stimuli or tests, such as postural cue anticipation in baseball, as well as those that are mostly devoid of sport context, considered general skills, such as dynamic visual acuity. In addition to detailing the PC skills and associated methods, we provide an accompanying table of published research since 1995, highlighting studies (for various skills and sports) that have and have not differentiated across skill groups.
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Chen YH, Chang CY, Huang SK, Yen NS. Nonlinear engagement of action observation network underlying action anticipation in players with different levels of expertise. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:5199-5214. [PMID: 32845066 PMCID: PMC7670634 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The goal of this study was to reconcile inconsistency of neural engagement underlying action anticipation between experts and nonexperts, as well as between correct and incorrect anticipations. Therefore, we asked novice, intermediate, and skilled baseball batters (N, IB, and SB) to anticipate their swing decisions in response to pitching videos of a strike or ball, using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Behavioral results confirmed the effect of expertise that is generally shown in a linear fashion. Imaging results instead revealed a nonlinear relationship between expertise level and the evoked response amplitude of nodes within the action observation network. The relationship was best captured by an inverted U‐shaped quadratic response profile across the three groups such that IB exhibited higher activation than did both SB and N. These empirical findings extend the framework of predictive coding as well as of neural efficiency in anticipating the action of others, and they might be associated with the underlying process to interpret the goal of the observed action and prepare one's own response. Furthermore, the right anterior cerebellum showed different levels of activation for correct and incorrect anticipations in all groups, adding novel evidence of its subtle involvement in anticipation processes irrespective of expertise status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin-Hua Chen
- Research Center for Mind, Brain, and Learning, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yen Chang
- Research Center for Mind, Brain, and Learning, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Physical Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Kuei Huang
- Department of Physical Education, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Nai-Shing Yen
- Research Center for Mind, Brain, and Learning, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Psychology, National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan
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De Stefani E, Rodà F, Volta E, Pincolini V, Farnese A, Rossetti S, Pedretti F, Ferrari PF. Learning new sport actions: Pilot study to investigate the imitative and the verbal instructive teaching methods in motor education. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237697. [PMID: 32797070 PMCID: PMC7428179 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the project was to investigate the effects of two strategies of teaching new sport actions on performance of eight-year-old children: observational-imitative method (OIM) and descriptive-directive method (DDM). The OIM group was provided with a pre-practice instruction in the form of expert modeling observation by an expert athlete. The DDM group received only verbal explanations of few selected static images. Thirty-six children (18 males and 18 females, mean age = 8,8) participated in the experiment. Subjects were randomly assigned to the OIM or DDM groups. Participants were instructed to perform four sport motor sequences never performed before (shoulder stand, soccer action, vortex howler throw, step action). Actions were videotaped and 2D kinematic analysis performed. A 10-point Likert questionnaire was administered to blind sport experts to assess the correctness and accuracy of each action. Results suggest that the OIM is the most effective instruction method when participants have no experience with the sport action to be performed. On the contrary, if the athlete needs to learn specific aspects of an exercise (such as grasping a tool) the best method is the DDM. In fact, detailed information on how to grab the vortex helped children in throwing it. We also found gender differences which might reflect cultural influences in specific sports (e.g. soccer). Finally, repetition of the exercise also improved the DDM group's performance. This has potential applications in sport teaching, suggesting that in the absence of a model performing the action to be imitated, the DDM can be as effective as the OIM if the observer repeats the sport action many times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa De Stefani
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Francesca Rodà
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Elio Volta
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Giocampus Steering Committee, Parma, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Pier Francesco Ferrari
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, CNRS, Université de Lyon, Bron, France
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12
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Tan SJ, Kerr G, Sullivan JP, Peake JM. A Brief Review of the Application of Neuroergonomics in Skilled Cognition During Expert Sports Performance. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:278. [PMID: 31474845 PMCID: PMC6706674 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The elite sports environment provides a unique setting for studying human performance, where both cognitive and physical demands are high. Successful performance in sport is contingent upon key cognitive skills such as attention, perception, working memory and decision-making. The demands of competitive sport also increase loading on the central nervous system (CNS). Neuroimaging methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG) offer the potential to investigate the cognitive demands of sport, neuroplasticity of athletes, and biofeedback training. However, practical and technical limitations of these methods have generally limited their use to laboratory-based studies of athletes during simulated sporting tasks. This review article, provides a brief overview of research that has applied neuroimaging technology to study various aspects of cognitive function during sports performance in athletes, alternative methods for measuring CNS loading [e.g., direct current (DC) potential], possible solutions and avenues of focus for future neuroergonomics research in sport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sok Joo Tan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Sport Performance Innovation and Knowledge Excellence, Queensland Academy of Sport, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Graham Kerr
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - John P. Sullivan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jonathan M. Peake
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Sport Performance Innovation and Knowledge Excellence, Queensland Academy of Sport, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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13
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Brenton J, Müller S. Is visual-perceptual or motor expertise critical for expert anticipation in sport? APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John Brenton
- School of Psychology and Exercise Science; Murdoch University; Perth Australia
| | - Sean Müller
- School of Psychology and Exercise Science; Murdoch University; Perth Australia
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