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Bakker LBM, Lamoth CJC, Vetrovsky T, Gruber M, Caljouw SR, Nieboer W, Taube W, van Dieën JH, Granacher U, Hortobágyi T. Neural Correlates of Balance Skill Learning in Young and Older Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. SPORTS MEDICINE - OPEN 2024; 10:3. [PMID: 38185708 PMCID: PMC10772137 DOI: 10.1186/s40798-023-00668-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the increasing number of research studies examining the effects of age on the control of posture, the number of annual fall-related injuries and deaths continues to increase. A better understanding of how old age affects the neural mechanisms of postural control and how countermeasures such as balance training could improve the neural control of posture to reduce falls in older individuals is therefore necessary. The aim of this review is to determine the effects of age on the neural correlates of balance skill learning measured during static (standing) and dynamic (walking) balance tasks in healthy individuals. METHODS We determined the effects of acute (1-3 sessions) and chronic (> 3 sessions) balance skill training on balance in the trained and in untrained, transfer balance tasks through a systematic review and quantified these effects by robust variance estimation meta-analysis in combination with meta-regression. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. Balance performance and neural plasticity outcomes were extracted and included in the systematic synthesis and meta-analysis. RESULTS Forty-two studies (n = 622 young, n = 699 older individuals) were included in the systematic synthesis. Seventeen studies with 508 in-analysis participants were eligible for a meta-analysis. The overall analysis revealed that acute and chronic balance training had a large effect on the neural correlates of balance skill learning in the two age groups combined (g = 0.79, p < 0.01). Both age groups similarly improved balance skill performance in 1-3 training sessions and showed little further improvements with additional sessions. Improvements in balance performance mainly occurred in the trained and less so in the non-trained (i.e., transfer) balance tasks. The systematic synthesis and meta-analysis suggested little correspondence between improved balance skills and changes in spinal, cortical, and corticospinal excitability measures in the two age groups and between the time courses of changes in balance skills and neural correlates. CONCLUSIONS Balance skill learning and the accompanying neural adaptations occur rapidly and independently of age with little to no training dose-dependence or correspondence between behavioral and neural adaptations. Of the five types of neural correlates examined, changes in only spinal excitability seemed to differ between age groups. However, age or training dose in terms of duration did not moderate the effects of balance training on the changes in any of the neural correlates. The behavioral and neural mechanisms of strong task-specificity and the time course of skill retention remain unclear and require further studies in young and older individuals. REGISTRATION PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022349573.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisanne B M Bakker
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Claudine J C Lamoth
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tomas Vetrovsky
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Markus Gruber
- Department of Sport Science, Human Performance Research Centre, University of Konstanz, Constance, Germany
| | - Simone R Caljouw
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ward Nieboer
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wolfgang Taube
- Department of Neurosciences and Movement Sciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Jaap H van Dieën
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Urs Granacher
- Department of Sport and Sport Science, Exercise and Human Movement Science, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tibor Hortobágyi
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Center for Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9700 AD, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Kinesiology, Hungarian University of Sports Science, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Pécs, Pecs, Hungary
- Somogy County Kaposi Mór Teaching Hospital, Kaposvár, Hungary
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An J, Wulf G. Golf skill learning: An external focus of attention enhances performance and motivation. PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORT AND EXERCISE 2024; 70:102563. [PMID: 37952707 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
An external focus of attention has been shown to enhance the performance and learning of motor skills, relative to an internal focus (see Chua, Jimenez-Diaz, Lewthwaite, Kim, & Wulf, 2021). In the present study, we examined possible motivational consequences of learners' experience of greater movement success with an external focus. Participants were asked to learn a golf pitch shot. In addition to measuring learning, we assessed self-efficacy, as well as positive and negative affect in groups that received external versus internal focus instructions. Furthermore, we examined the feasibility of providing several focus instructions in the same practice session as the learning of complex skills typically requires more than one instructional cue. The results showed that skill learning was enhanced by instructions that promoted external foci, as measured by golf shot accuracy on delayed retention and transfer tests. The external focus group also showed higher positive affect and reduced negative affect at the end of practice, and higher self-efficacy before retention testing, compared with the internal focus group. These findings provide support for several assumptions of the OPTIMAL theory (Wulf & Lewthwaite, 2016). From a practical perspective, they highlight the attentional and motivational benefits of an external focus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jongseong An
- Busan University of Foreign Studies, South Korea.
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Huang HJ, Ferris DP. Non-invasive brain imaging to advance the understanding of human balance. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2023; 28:100505. [PMID: 38250696 PMCID: PMC10795750 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2023.100505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Helen J. Huang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- Disability, Aging, and Technology Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- Biionix (Bionic Materials, Implants & Interfaces) Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Daniel P. Ferris
- J. Crayton Pruitt Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Grasso C, Barresi M, Tramonti Fantozzi MP, Lazzerini F, Bruschini L, Berrettini S, Andre P, Dolciotti C, De Cicco V, De Cicco D, d'Ascanio P, Orsini P, Montanari F, Faraguna U, Manzoni D. Effects of a short period of postural training on postural stability and vestibulospinal reflexes. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287123. [PMID: 37307276 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of postural training on postural stability and vestibulospinal reflexes (VSRs) were investigated in normal subjects. A period (23 minutes) of repeated episodes (n = 10, 50 seconds) of unipedal stance elicited a progressive reduction of the area covered by centre of pressure (CoP) displacement, of average CoP displacement along the X and Y axes and of CoP velocity observed in this challenging postural task. All these changes were correlated to each other with the only exception of those in X and Y CoP displacement. Moreover, they were larger in the subjects showing higher initial instability in unipedal stance, suggesting that they were triggered by the modulation of sensory afferents signalling body sway. No changes in bipedal stance occurred soon and 1 hour after this period of postural training, while a reduction of CoP displacement was apparent after 24 hours, possibly due to a beneficial effect of overnight sleep on postural learning. The same period of postural training also reduced the CoP displacement elicited by electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS) along the X axis up to 24 hours following the training end. No significant changes in postural parameters of bipedal stance and VSRs could be observed in control experiments where subjects were tested at identical time points without performing the postural training. Therefore, postural training led to a stricter control of CoP displacement, possibly acting through the cerebellum by enhancing feedforward mechanisms of postural stability and by depressing the VSR, the most important reflex mechanism involved in balance maintenance under challenging conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Grasso
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Massimo Barresi
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Lazzerini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Cares, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Luca Bruschini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Cares, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefano Berrettini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Cares, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Paolo Andre
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Cristina Dolciotti
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Cicco
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Davide De Cicco
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Paola d'Ascanio
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Orsini
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesco Montanari
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ugo Faraguna
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
| | - Diego Manzoni
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Wang D, Zhou J, Huang Y, Yu H. Identifying the changes in the cortical activity of various brain regions for different balance tasks: A review. NeuroRehabilitation 2023:NRE220285. [PMID: 37125575 DOI: 10.3233/nre-220285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Balance support is critical to a person's overall function and health. Previous neuroimaging studies have shown that cortical structures play an essential role in postural control. OBJECTIVE This review aims to identify differences in the pattern of neural activity induced by balance tasks with different balance control requirements. METHODS Seventy-four articles were selected from the field of balance training and were examined based on four brain function detection technologies. RESULTS In general, most studies focused on the activity changes of various cortical areas during training at different difficulty levels, but more and more attention has also begun to focus on the functional changes of other cortical and deep subcortical structures. Our analysis also revealed the neglect of certain task types. CONCLUSION Based on these results, we identify and discuss future research directions that may contribute to a clear understanding of neural functional plasticity under different tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duojin Wang
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiankang Zhou
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanping Huang
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongliu Yu
- Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Assistive Devices, Shanghai, China
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Woodhead A, North JS, Hill J, Murphy CP, Kidgell DJ, Tallent J. Corticospinal and spinal adaptations following lower limb motor skill training: a meta-analysis with best evidence synthesis. Exp Brain Res 2023; 241:807-824. [PMID: 36740653 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-023-06563-3] [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: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Motor skill training alters the human nervous system; however, lower limb motor tasks have been less researched compared to upper limb tasks. This meta-analysis with best evidence synthesis aimed to determine the cortical and subcortical responses that occur following lower limb motor skill training, and whether these responses are accompanied by improvements in motor performance. Following a literature search that adhered to the PRISMA guidelines, data were extracted and analysed from six studies (n = 172) for the meta-analysis, and 11 studies (n = 257) were assessed for the best evidence synthesis. Pooled data indicated that lower limb motor skill training increased motor performance, with a standardised mean difference (SMD) of 1.09 being observed. However, lower limb motor skill training had no effect on corticospinal excitability (CSE), Hoffmann's reflex (H-reflex) or muscle compound action potential (MMAX) amplitude. The best evidence synthesis found strong evidence for improved motor performance and reduced short-interval cortical inhibition (SICI) following lower limb motor skill training, with conflicting evidence towards the modulation of CSE. Taken together, this review highlights the need for further investigation on how motor skill training performed with the lower limb musculature can modulate corticospinal responses. This will also help us to better understand whether these neuronal measures are underpinning mechanisms that support an improvement in motor performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Woodhead
- Faculty of Sport, Allied Health and Performance Science, St. Mary's University, Middlesex, Twickenham, TW1 4SX, UK.
| | - Jamie S North
- Faculty of Sport, Allied Health and Performance Science, St. Mary's University, Middlesex, Twickenham, TW1 4SX, UK
| | - Jessica Hill
- Faculty of Sport, Allied Health and Performance Science, St. Mary's University, Middlesex, Twickenham, TW1 4SX, UK
| | - Colm P Murphy
- Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Dawson J Kidgell
- Department of Physiotherapy, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3199, Australia
| | - Jamie Tallent
- Department of Physiotherapy, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3199, Australia.,School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, UK
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Sun Y, Hurd CL, Barnes MM, Yang JF. Neural Plasticity in Spinal and Corticospinal Pathways Induced by Balance Training in Neurologically Intact Adults: A Systematic Review. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:921490. [PMID: 36061497 PMCID: PMC9428930 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.921490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Balance training, defined here as training of postural equilibrium, improves postural control and reduces the rate of falls especially in older adults. This systematic review aimed to determine the neuroplasticity induced by such training in younger (18–30 years old) and older adults (≥65 years old). We focused on spinal and corticospinal pathways, as studied with electrophysiology, in people without neurological or other systemic disorders. We were specifically interested in the change in the excitability of these pathways before and after training. Searches were conducted in four databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, and Embase. A total of 1,172 abstracts were screened, and 14 articles were included. Quality of the studies was evaluated with the Downs and Black checklist. Twelve of the studies measured spinal reflexes, with ten measuring the soleus H-reflex. The H-reflex amplitude was consistently reduced in younger adults after balance training, while mixed results were found in older adults, with many showing an increase in the H-reflex after training. The differences in results between studies of younger vs. older adults may be related to the differences in their H-reflexes at baseline, with older adults showing much smaller H-reflexes than younger adults. Five studies measured corticospinal and intracortical excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Younger adults showed reduced corticospinal excitability and enhanced intracortical inhibition after balance training. Two studies on older adults reported mixed results after training. No conclusions could be drawn for corticospinal and intracortical plasticity given the small number of studies. Overall, balance training induced measurable change in spinal excitability, with different changes seen in younger compared to older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Sun
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Caitlin L. Hurd
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Michelle M. Barnes
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jaynie F. Yang
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Neuroscience & Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- *Correspondence: Jaynie F. Yang
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Ueta K, Mizuguchi N, Sugiyama T, Isaka T, Otomo S. The Motor Engram of Functional Connectivity Generated by Acute Whole-Body Dynamic Balance Training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2022; 54:598-608. [PMID: 34772904 PMCID: PMC8920009 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000002829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Whole-body dynamic balance is necessary for both athletic activities and activities of daily living. This study aimed to investigate the effect of acute dynamic balance training on neural networks. METHODS We evaluated resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC), white matter fiber density, fiber-bundle cross-section, and gray matter volume in 28 healthy young adults (14 women) before and after 30 min of slackline training using a randomized, counterbalanced crossover design. RESULTS The rs-FC between the left lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the foot area of the primary sensorimotor (SM1) cortex increased significantly after slackline training compared with that after a control condition involving ergometer-based aerobic exercise. In addition, changes in rs-FC between the left lateral PFC and the primary sensorimotor were correlated with performance changes after training (i.e., offline process) rather than online learning. We also observed a main effect of time between the hippocampus and the cingulate cortex, including the anterior areas, and between the bilateral lateral PFC. Although we observed no structural changes, fiber density in the commissural fiber pathway before the first balance assessment was correlated with initial balance capability. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that acute whole-body dynamic balance training alters specific rs-FC, and that this change is associated with performance changes after training. In addition, rs-FC changes in cognitive regions were modulated by both acute dynamic balance training and aerobic exercise. These findings have the potential to influence various fields (e.g., sports neuroscience, neurorehabilitation) and may aid in the development of methods that can improve motor and cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Ueta
- College of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, JAPAN
| | - Nobuaki Mizuguchi
- Research Organization of Science and Technology, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, JAPAN
| | - Takashi Sugiyama
- College of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, JAPAN
| | - Tadao Isaka
- College of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, JAPAN
| | - Satoshi Otomo
- College of Sport and Health Science, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Shiga, JAPAN
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Wulf G, Lewthwaite R. Translating Thoughts Into Action: Optimizing Motor Performance and Learning Through Brief Motivational and Attentional Influences. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/09637214211046199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Skilled motor performance is essential in sports, the performing arts, various occupations, and many daily activities. Scientists and practitioners alike are therefore interested in understanding the conditions that influence the performance and learning of movement skills, and how they can be utilized to optimize training. In OPTIMAL theory, three motivational and attentional factors are key: enhanced expectancies for future performance, the performer’s autonomy, and an external focus of attention. We review recent evidence suggesting that each factor contributes independently to strengthen the coupling of goals to actions. This work has implications ranging from fostering more effective skill development in novice learners, to increasing the efficiency of athletes’ and musicians’ performance, and to facilitating the success of patients in regaining functional capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Wulf
- Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
| | - Rebecca Lewthwaite
- Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, California
- Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California
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Englert C, Dziuba A, Giboin LS, Wolff W. Elites Do Not Deplete - No Effect of Prior Mental Exertion on Subsequent Shooting Performance in Elite Shooters. Front Psychol 2021; 12:668108. [PMID: 34177728 PMCID: PMC8226326 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.668108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to perform at the highest level, elite shooters have to remain focused during the whole course of a tournament, which regularly lasts multiple hours. Investing self-control over extended time periods is often associated with lower levels of perceived self-control strength (i.e., the subjective estimation of how much mental effort one is capable of investing in a given task) and impaired performance in several sports-related domains. However, previous findings on the effects of prior self-control efforts on shooting performance have been mixed, as elite shooters seem to be less affected by preceding self-control demanding tasks than sub-elite athletes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of self-control on shooting performance in elite shooters. Hence, we randomly assigned elite shooters to an experimental (n = 12) or a control condition (n = 11) and asked them to perform a series of 40 shots at baseline (T1) and again after a task which either did or did not require self-control (T2). Additionally, we continuously measured the shooters’ level of perceived self-control strength. We assumed that in elite athletes, shooting accuracy as well as the perceived level of self-control strength would not be significantly affected over time from T1 to T2 in both conditions. In line with our assumptions, Bayesian linear mixed effect models revealed that shooting performance remained relatively stable in both conditions over time and the conditions also did not differ significantly in their perceived levels of self-control strength. Contrary to resource-based theories of self-control, these results speak against the idea of a limited self-control resource as previous acts of self-control did not impair subsequent shooting performance in elite athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Englert
- Department of Educational Psychology, Institute of Education, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anna Dziuba
- Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Louis-Solal Giboin
- Department of Sport Sciences, Sensorimotor Performance Lab, Human Performance Research Centre, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Wanja Wolff
- Department of Educational Psychology, Institute of Education, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Sport Psychology, Department of Sport Sciences, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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Gabel CP, Mokhtarinia HR, Melloh M, Mateo S. Slacklining as therapy to address non-specific low back pain in the presence of multifidus arthrogenic muscle inhibition. World J Orthop 2021; 12:178-196. [PMID: 33959482 PMCID: PMC8082507 DOI: 10.5312/wjo.v12.i4.178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Low back pain (LBP) represents the most prevalent, problematic and painful of musculoskeletal conditions that affects both the individual and society with health and economic concerns. LBP is a heterogeneous condition with multiple diagnoses and causes. In the absence of consensus definitions, partly because of terminology inconsistency, it is further referred to as non-specific LBP (NSLBP). In NSLBP patients, the lumbar multifidus (MF), a key stabilizing muscle, has a depleted role due to recognized myocellular lipid infiltration and wasting, with the potential primary cause hypothesized as arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI). This link between AMI and NSLBP continues to gain increasing recognition. To date there is no 'gold standard' or consensus treatment to alleviate symptoms and disability due to NSLBP, though the advocated interventions are numerous, with marked variations in costs and levels of supportive evidence. However, there is consensus that NSLBP management be cost-effective, self-administered, educational, exercise-based, and use multi-modal and multi-disciplinary approaches. An adjuvant therapy fulfilling these consensus criteria is 'slacklining', within an overall rehabilitation program. Slacklining, the neuromechanical action of balance retention on a tightened band, induces strategic indirect-involuntary therapeutic muscle activation exercise incorporating spinal motor control. Though several models have been proposed, understanding slacklining's neuro-motor mechanism of action remains incomplete. Slacklining has demonstrated clinical effects to overcome AMI in peripheral joints, particularly the knee, and is reported in clinical case-studies as showing promising results in reducing NSLBP related to MF deficiency induced through AMI (MF-AMI). Therefore, this paper aims to: rationalize why and how adjuvant, slacklining therapeutic exercise may positively affect patients with NSLBP, due to MF-AMI induced depletion of spinal stabilization; considers current understandings and interventions for NSLBP, including the contributing role of MF-AMI; and details the reasons why slacklining could be considered as a potential adjuvant intervention for NSLBP through its indirect-involuntary action. This action is hypothesized to occur through an over-ride or inhibition of central down-regulatory induced muscle insufficiency, present due to AMI. This subsequently allows neuroplasticity, normal neuro-motor sequencing and muscle re-activation, which facilitates innate advantageous spinal stabilization. This in-turn addresses and reduces NSLBP, its concurrent symptoms and functional disability. This process is hypothesized to occur through four neuro-physiological processing pathways: finite neural delay; movement-control phenotypes; inhibition of action and the innate primordial imperative; and accentuated corticospinal drive. Further research is recommended to investigate these hypotheses and the effect of slacklining as an adjuvant therapy in cohort and control studies of NSLBP populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Philip Gabel
- Department of Physiotherapy, Access Physiotherapy, Coolum Beach 4573, QLD, Australia
| | - Hamid Reza Mokhtarinia
- Department of Ergonomics, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran 0001, Iran
- Department of Physiotherapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran 0001, Iran
| | - Markus Melloh
- School of Health Professions, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Winterthur 8310, Switzerland
| | - Sébastien Mateo
- INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, Université de Lyon, Lyon 69000, France
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Seidel-Marzi O, Hähner S, Ragert P, Carius D. Task-Related Hemodynamic Response Alterations During Slacklining: An fNIRS Study in Advanced Slackliners. FRONTIERS IN NEUROERGONOMICS 2021; 2:644490. [PMID: 38235235 PMCID: PMC10790949 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2021.644490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The ability to maintain balance is based on various processes of motor control in complex neural networks of subcortical and cortical brain structures. However, knowledge on brain processing during the execution of whole-body balance tasks is still limited. In the present study, we investigated brain activity during slacklining, a task with a high demand on balance capabilities, which is frequently used as supplementary training in various sports disciplines as well as for lower extremity prevention and rehabilitation purposes in clinical settings. We assessed hemodynamic response alterations in sensorimotor brain areas using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during standing (ST) and walking (WA) on a slackline in 16 advanced slackliners. We expected to observe task-related differences between both conditions as well as associations between cortical activity and slacklining experience. While our results revealed hemodynamic response alterations in sensorimotor brain regions such as primary motor cortex (M1), premotor cortex (PMC), and supplementary motor cortex (SMA) during both conditions, we did not observe differential effects between ST and WA nor associations between cortical activity and slacklining experience. In summary, these findings provide novel insights into brain processing during a whole-body balance task and its relation to balance expertise. As maintaining balance is considered an important prerequisite in daily life and crucial in the context of prevention and rehabilitation, future studies should extend these findings by quantifying brain processing during task execution on a whole-brain level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Seidel-Marzi
- Institute for General Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Susanne Hähner
- Institute for General Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Patrick Ragert
- Institute for General Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Carius
- Institute for General Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Faculty of Sport Science, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Schedler S, Tenelsen F, Wich L, Muehlbauer T. Effects of balance training on balance performance in youth: role of training difficulty. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2020; 12:71. [PMID: 33292455 PMCID: PMC7684745 DOI: 10.1186/s13102-020-00218-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cross-sectional studies have shown that balance performance can be challenged by the level of task difficulty (e.g., varying stance conditions, sensory manipulations). However, it remains unclear whether the application of different levels of task difficulty during balance training (BT) leads to altered adaptations in balance performance. Thus, we examined the effects of BT conducted under a high versus a low level of task difficulty on balance performance. METHODS Forty male adolescents were randomly assigned to a BT program using a low (BT-low: n = 20; age: 12.4 ± 2.0 yrs) or a high (BT-high: n = 20; age: 12.5 ± 2.5 yrs) level of balance task difficulty. Both groups trained for 7 weeks (2 sessions/week, 30-35 min each). Pre- and post-training assessments included measures of static (one-legged stance [OLS] time), dynamic (10-m gait velocity), and proactive (Y-Balance Test [YBT] reach distance, Functional Reach Test [FRT]; Timed-Up-and-Go Test [TUG]) balance. RESULTS Significant main effects of Test (i.e., pre- to post-test improvements) were observed for all but one balance measure (i.e., 10-m gait velocity). Additionally, a Test x Group interaction was detected for the FRT in favor of the BT-high group (Δ + 8%, p < 0.001, d = 0.35). Further, tendencies toward significant Test x Group interactions were found for the YBT anterior reach (in favor of BT-high: Δ + 9%, p < 0.001, d = 0.60) and for the OLS with eyes opened and on firm surface (in favor of BT-low: Δ + 31%, p = 0.003, d = 0.67). CONCLUSIONS Following 7 weeks of BT, enhancements in measures of static, dynamic, and proactive balance were observed in the BT-high and BT-low groups. However, BT-high appears to be more effective for increasing measures of proactive balance, whereas BT-low seems to be more effective for improving proxies of static balance. TRIAL REGISTRATION Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN83638708 (Retrospectively registered 19th June, 2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Schedler
- Division of Movement and Training Sciences/Biomechanics of Sport, University of Duisburg-Essen, Gladbecker Str. 182, 45141, Essen, Germany.
| | - Florian Tenelsen
- Division of Movement and Training Sciences/Biomechanics of Sport, University of Duisburg-Essen, Gladbecker Str. 182, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Laura Wich
- Division of Movement and Training Sciences/Biomechanics of Sport, University of Duisburg-Essen, Gladbecker Str. 182, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Thomas Muehlbauer
- Division of Movement and Training Sciences/Biomechanics of Sport, University of Duisburg-Essen, Gladbecker Str. 182, 45141, Essen, Germany
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Giboin LS, Reunis T, Gruber M. Corticospinal properties are associated with sensorimotor performance in action video game players. Neuroimage 2020; 226:117576. [PMID: 33221450 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117576] [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: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Notwithstanding the apparent demands regarding fine motor skills that are required to perform in action video games, the motor nervous system of players has not been studied systematically. In the present study, we hypothesized to find differences in sensorimotor performance and corticospinal characteristics between action video game players (Players) and Controls. We tested sensorimotor performance in video games tasks and used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure motor map, input-output (IO) and short intra-cortical inhibition (SICI) curves in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle of Players (n = 18) and Control (n = 18). Players scored higher in performance tests and had stronger SICI and higher motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes. Multiple linear regressions showed that Players and Control differed with respect to their relation between reaction time and corticospinal excitability. However, we did not find different motor map topography or different IO curves for Players when compared to Controls. Action video game players showed an increased efficiency of motor cortical inhibitory and excitatory neural networks. Players also showed a different relation of MEPs with reaction time. The present study demonstrates the potential of action video game players as an ideal population to study the mechanisms underlying visuomotor performance and sensorimotor learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis-Solal Giboin
- Sensorimotor Performance Lab, Human Performance Research Centre, Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Tom Reunis
- Sensorimotor Performance Lab, Human Performance Research Centre, Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Germany
| | - Markus Gruber
- Sensorimotor Performance Lab, Human Performance Research Centre, Department of Sport Science, University of Konstanz, Germany
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Alizadehsaravi L, Bruijn SM, Maas H, van Dieën JH. Modulation of soleus muscle H-reflexes and ankle muscle co-contraction with surface compliance during unipedal balancing in young and older adults. Exp Brain Res 2020; 238:1371-1383. [PMID: 32266445 PMCID: PMC7286858 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-020-05784-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess modulation of lower leg muscle reflex excitability and co-contraction during unipedal balancing on compliant surfaces in young and older adults. Twenty healthy adults (ten aged 18-30 years and ten aged 65-80 years) were recruited. Soleus muscle H-reflexes were elicited by electrical stimulation of the tibial nerve, while participants stood unipedally on a robot-controlled balance platform, simulating different levels of surface compliance. In addition, electromyographic data (EMG) of soleus (SOL), tibialis anterior (TA), and peroneus longus (PL) and full-body 3D kinematic data were collected. The mean absolute center of mass velocity was determined as a measure of balance performance. Soleus H-reflex data were analyzed in terms of the amplitude related to the M wave and the background EMG activity 100 ms prior to the stimulation. The relative duration of co-contraction was calculated for soleus and tibialis anterior, as well as for peroneus longus and tibialis anterior. Center of mass velocity was significantly higher in older adults compared to young adults ([Formula: see text] and increased with increasing surface compliance in both groups ([Formula: see text]. The soleus H-reflex gain decreased with surface compliance in young adults [Formula: see text], while co-contraction increased [Formula: see text]. Older adults did not show such modulations, but showed overall lower H-reflex gains [Formula: see text] and higher co-contraction than young adults [Formula: see text]. These results suggest an overall shift in balance control from the spinal level to supraspinal levels in older adults, which also occurred in young adults when balancing at more compliant surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Alizadehsaravi
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Institute for Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam and Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd M Bruijn
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Institute for Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam and Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Huub Maas
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Institute for Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam and Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap H van Dieën
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Institute for Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam and Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Giboin L, Tokuno C, Kramer A, Henry M, Gruber M. Motor learning induces time‐dependent plasticity that is observable at the spinal cord level. J Physiol 2020; 598:1943-1963. [DOI: 10.1113/jp278890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Louis‐Solal Giboin
- Sensorimotor Performance Lab Human Performance Research Centre Department of Sport Science University of Konstanz Kinstanz Germany
| | - Craig Tokuno
- Department of Kinesiology Brock University St Catharines ON Canada
| | - Andreas Kramer
- Sensorimotor Performance Lab Human Performance Research Centre Department of Sport Science University of Konstanz Kinstanz Germany
| | - Mélanie Henry
- Laboratory of Applied Biology and Research Unit in Applied Neurophysiology ULB Neuroscience Institute Université libre de Bruxelles Bruxelles Belgium
| | - Markus Gruber
- Sensorimotor Performance Lab Human Performance Research Centre Department of Sport Science University of Konstanz Kinstanz Germany
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Reductions in body sway responses to a rhythmic support surface tilt perturbation can be caused by other mechanisms than prediction. Exp Brain Res 2020; 238:465-476. [PMID: 31955233 PMCID: PMC7007899 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-020-05723-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Studies investigating balance control often use external perturbations to probe the system. These perturbations can be administered as randomized, pseudo-randomized, or predictable sequences. As predictability of a given perturbation can affect balance performance, the way those perturbations are constructed may affect the results of the experiments. In the present study, we hypothesized that subjects are able to adapt to short, rhythmic support surface tilt stimuli, but not to long pseudo-random stimuli. 19 subjects were standing with eyes closed on a servo-controlled platform tilting about the ankle joint axis. Pre and post to the learning intervention, pseudo-random tilt sequences were applied. For the learning phase, a rhythmic and easy-to-memorize 8-s long sequence was applied 75 times, where subjects were instructed to stand as still as possible. Body kinematics were measured and whole body center of mass sway was analyzed. Results showed reduced sway and less forward lean of the body across the learning phase. The sway reductions were similar for stimulus and non-stimulus frequencies. Surprisingly, for the pseudo-random sequences, comparable changes were found from pre- to post-tests. In summary, results confirmed that considerable adaptations exist when exposing subjects to an 8-s long rhythmic perturbation. No indications of predictions of the learning tilt sequence were found, since similar changes were also observed in response to pseudo-random sequences. We conclude that changes in body sway responses following 75 repetitions of an 8-s long rhythmic tilt sequence are due to adaptations in the dynamics of the control mechanism (presumably stiffness).
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18
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Giboin LS, Gruber M, Kramer A. Six weeks of balance or power training induce no generalizable improvements in balance performance in healthy young adults. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2019; 11:31. [PMID: 31719991 PMCID: PMC6839212 DOI: 10.1186/s13102-019-0146-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Background Training programs for fall prevention often fail to induce large general effects. To improve the efficacy of fall prevention programs, it is crucial to determine which type of training is most effective in inducing generalizable effects, i.e., improvements in untrained situations. Two likely candidates are balance and resistance training. Here, we assessed whether either varied balance training or a training program aiming to increase leg power would improve performance and acquisition rate of a novel balance task. Methods Forty-two healthy recreationally active subjects (16 females, age 24 ± 3y) were assigned to a control group, a varied practice balance group or a loaded squat and plyometrics power group, training for 6 weeks (twice per week, 40 min per session). Before and after the training, we measured peak power in countermovement jumps and balance performance in two different untrained balance tasks (10 trials pre and 50 trials post-training). Results After training, the performance and the acquisition rate in the two untrained tasks were similar for all groups (no group x time interaction), i.e., no generalization of learning effect was induced by either form of training. Peak power in the countermovement jump did not change significantly in any of the groups. Conclusions Neither a six-week power training nor a varied balance training improved performance or acquisition of an untrained balance task. This underpins the task-specificity principle of training and emphasizes the need for studies that assess the mechanisms of transfer and generalization, thus helping to find more effective intervention programs for fall prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis-Solal Giboin
- Sensorimotor Performance Lab, Human Performance Research Centre, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Markus Gruber
- Sensorimotor Performance Lab, Human Performance Research Centre, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Andreas Kramer
- Sensorimotor Performance Lab, Human Performance Research Centre, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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