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Vona M, de Guise É, Leclerc S, Deslauriers J, Romeas T. Multiple domain-general assessments of cognitive functions in elite athletes: Contrasting evidence for the influence of expertise, sport type and sex. PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORT AND EXERCISE 2024; 75:102715. [PMID: 39048061 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102715] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Converging evidence has shown that domain-general cognitive abilities, especially executive functions (EF), tend to be superior in sport experts. However, recent studies have questioned this cognitive advantage and found inconsistent findings when comparing sport type and sex. This study aimed to compare the impact of sport expertise, sport type, and sex on various domains of cognitive functions. Two hundred and thirty elite athletes (nFemale = 124, nMale = 106) representing three sport categories (Team [n = 91], Precision-skill dependent [n = 63], and Speed-strength [n = 76] sports) were assessed using a computerized neuropsychological test battery including tests of EF (working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility and planning), as well as tests of selective and sustained attention. T-scores and raw values were used to analyze performance through t-tests and ANCOVA with age as covariate. Athletes demonstrated better performance than the normative mean on 5 out of 11 cognitive test variables (p < 0.005). However, their performance fell within the average range when considering the results along a normative scale, except for sustained attention and working memory where they performed just above average (<1 SD). There was a significant main effect of sport category on only one EF variable (p = 0.003). Males performed significantly faster than females on motor reaction time measures of attention and inhibition (all p < 0.001). In this study, the 'expert advantage' on domain-general cognitive tests was less prominent when utilizing a normative scale and controlling for age or speed-accuracy trade-offs, except for sustained attention and working-memory. Cognitive functions did not appear to differ meaningfully based on athletes' sport type or sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélissa Vona
- Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Élaine de Guise
- Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Réadaptation du Montréal Métropolitain (CRIR), Montréal, Québec, Canada; Research Institute-McGill University Health Center, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Suzanne Leclerc
- Institut national du sport du Québec, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Thomas Romeas
- Institut national du sport du Québec, Montréal, Québec, Canada; École d'Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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Aase DM, McManimen S, Hay J, Long C, Bryan CJ. Firearm ownership factors and cognitive functioning: A preliminary study. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 175:200-204. [PMID: 38739953 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that owning a firearm for the purpose of protection and intending to acquire a firearm within the next year are associated with disrupted cognitive-affective processes that may increase firearm suicide risk. Prior studies were limited by self-report measures and would benefit from the utilization of objective indicators of cognitive functioning to clarify associations between firearm ownership and cognitive-affective states. The present study examined objective cognitive performance in a sample of U.S. adults in relation to firearm ownership variables. Based on prior studies, we hypothesized that protective owners and individuals with the intention to acquire a firearm within the next year would demonstrate reduced performance on decision-making, mental flexibility, and emotional bias tasks. A total of 112 participants (61% female, 79% white) completed objective cognitive tasks following completion of a larger survey study through ResearchMatch. Results indicated that intention to purchase a firearm within the next year was not associated with cognitive functioning but was associated with an array of heightened psychiatric symptoms. Owning a firearm for the purpose of protection was associated with decreased mental flexibility relative to non-owners, but no differences were seen for decision-making or emotional bias. These findings represent the first attempt to examine underlying objective cognitive processes related to firearm ownership, and implications for future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darrin M Aase
- Research and Development, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, 3375 Koapaka Street, Suite B-220, Honolulu, HI, 96706, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, 3650 Olentangy River Road, Ste 310, Columbus, OH, 43214, USA.
| | - Stephanie McManimen
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, 3650 Olentangy River Road, Ste 310, Columbus, OH, 43214, USA
| | - Jarrod Hay
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, 3650 Olentangy River Road, Ste 310, Columbus, OH, 43214, USA
| | - Cameron Long
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, 3650 Olentangy River Road, Ste 310, Columbus, OH, 43214, USA
| | - Craig J Bryan
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, 3650 Olentangy River Road, Ste 310, Columbus, OH, 43214, USA; VA Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, VA Finger Lakes Health Care System, 400 Fort Hill Avenue, Canandaigua, NY, 14424, USA
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Gutiérrez-Capote A, Madinabeitia I, Alarcón F, Torre E, Jiménez-Martínez J, Cárdenas D. Acute effect of complexity in basketball on cognitive capacity. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1376961. [PMID: 38827893 PMCID: PMC11141245 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1376961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Executive functions, notably inhibition, significantly influence decision-making and behavioral regulation in team sports. However, more research must be conducted on individual player characteristics such as experience and motor skills. This study assessed how accumulated practical experience moderates inhibition in response to varying task difficulty levels. Methods Forty-four university students (age: 20.36 ± 3.13 years) participated in this study with two sessions: one followed standard 1 × 1 basketball rules ("Regular Practice"), while the other imposed motor, temporal, and spatial restrictions ("Restriction Practice"). Functional difficulty was controlled by grouping pairs with similar skill levels. Flanker and Go-Nogo tasks were used. Results Increasing complexity worsened cognitive performance (inhibition). "Restriction Practice" showed a significantly slower and less accurate performance in both tests than "Regular Practice" (p < 0.001). Experience positively impacted test speed and accuracy (p < 0.001). Conclusion In sports, acute cognitive impacts are intrinsically linked to the task's complexity and the athlete's cognitive resources. In this sense, it is essential to adjust individually the cognitive demands of the tasks, considering each athlete's specific cognitive abilities and capacities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Gutiérrez-Capote
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sports Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Granada, Spain
| | - Iker Madinabeitia
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sports Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Granada, Spain
- Department of General and Specific Didactics, Faculty of Education, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Francisco Alarcón
- Department of General and Specific Didactics, Faculty of Education, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Elisa Torre
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sports Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Granada, Spain
| | - Jesús Jiménez-Martínez
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sports Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Granada, Spain
| | - David Cárdenas
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sports Science, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Granada, Spain
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Xiang M, Li G, Ye J, Wu M, Xu R, Hu M. Effects of combined physical and cognitive training on executive function of adolescent shooting athletes: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study. SPORTS MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCE 2023; 5:220-228. [PMID: 37753422 PMCID: PMC10518801 DOI: 10.1016/j.smhs.2023.02.004] [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: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual executive function improvement through physical and cognitive training is a research hotspot in physical education and cognitive science. However, few studies have evaluated whether combined physical and cognitive training (CPCT) has greater benefits for executive function performance and cerebral oxygenation in adolescent athletes than cognitive training alone. This study randomly assigned 33 adolescent shooting athletes to a CPCT (n = 17) or computerized cognitive training (CCT, n = 16) group and compared their executive function after six weeks of training. All subjects were assessed using the 2-back, task-switching, and Stroop tests before and after training. The prefrontal cortex oxygenated hemoglobin (Oxy-Hb) activation level was monitored while executing the three tasks using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Our results showed that the CPCT and CCT groups similarly improved their updating function as indicated by the 2-back task accuracy. The CPCT group significantly improved the switching function in the task-switching test accuracy, while the CCT group did not. However, both groups did not improve in behavioral performance as indicated by the inhibition function in the Stroop task. Cerebral oxygenation, indicated by the oxy-Hb activation level in the frontal pole area of the prefrontal lobe, significantly improved in the CPCT group during the three cognitive tasks, whereas the CCT group showed no change. These findings indicated that CPCT endowed greater advantages in task-switching in the behavioral performance of the executive function than CCT. Moreover, CPCT was superior to CCT in increasing task-efficient cerebral oxygenation during the activation of the prefrontal cortex in adolescent shooting athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingqiang Xiang
- School of Sport and Health, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, 510500, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health Promotion, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, 510500, China
| | - Guanru Li
- Graduate School, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzho, 510500, China
| | - Jianuo Ye
- Graduate School, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzho, 510500, China
| | - Meng Wu
- Guangzhou Institute of Sports Science, Guangzhou, 510500, China
| | - Ruiping Xu
- Guangzhou Institute of Sports Science, Guangzhou, 510500, China
| | - Min Hu
- School of Sport and Health, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, 510500, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health Promotion, Guangzhou Sport University, Guangzhou, 510500, China
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Zurek G, Lenart D, Lachowicz M, Zebrowski K, Jamro D. Factors Influencing the Executive Functions of Male and Female Cadets. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:17043. [PMID: 36554935 PMCID: PMC9779467 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192417043] [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: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Executive functions (EFs) are related to human abilities that allow individuals to achieve planned goals, contribute to creativity and the analysis of new ideas, and allow for adaptation to new situations in daily life. Thorough analyses of the factors affecting EFs can aid in the development of appropriate training programs for various social and professional groups, including the military. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors affecting the EFs of cadets (18 women and 108 men) studying at a military academy in Poland after the first and second terms of military training, and to investigate gender differences in the level of EFs, shooting performance (SP), and components of physical fitness (PF). The Neuropsychological Color Trails Test (CTT-2) was used to determine some of the EFs of the test subjects. Meanwhile, the level of SP was represented by the score achieved during marksmanship training implemented during military training. Assessment of the subjects' PF was guided by the principles of the Health-Related Fitness assessment concept, i.e., health-related fitness. Differences between men and women in specific variables were calculated using the Mann-Whitney U test for independent samples, whilst the relationship between variables was analyzed using the best subset regression method. The results revealed that cadets' EFs were influenced by their SP and their level of strength. However, there were no significant differences between male and female cadets in the levels of EFs or SP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Zurek
- Department of Biostructure, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Dariusz Lenart
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, General Tadeusz Kosciuszko Military University of Land Forces, 51-147 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Lachowicz
- Department of Biostructure, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51-612 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Zebrowski
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, General Tadeusz Kosciuszko Military University of Land Forces, 51-147 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Dariusz Jamro
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, General Tadeusz Kosciuszko Military University of Land Forces, 51-147 Wroclaw, Poland
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