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Neural Efficiency in Athletes: A Systematic Review
1Department of Physical Education and Health Education, Springfield College, Springfield, MA, United States.
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
|August 23, 2021
Summary
Long-term specialized training enhances athletes' brains, leading to more efficient cortical functions. Experts show improved performance with less neural activity, supporting the neural efficiency hypothesis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sports Science
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- The neural efficiency hypothesis (NEH) posits that highly skilled individuals exhibit more effective cortical functioning during cognitive tasks.
- Understanding how specialized training alters an athlete's brain and enhances efficiency is crucial for sports science and performance optimization.
Approach:
- Systematic review of 28 studies (2001-2020) examining neural efficiency in athletes.
- Analysis focused on functional neuroimaging (fMRI, fNIRS, EEG) and brain stimulation during sport-specific tasks.
- Included expert-novice comparisons across 18 sports, analyzing perceptual-cognitive tasks and multiple object tracking.
Key Points:
- Experts demonstrated faster, more accurate motor behavior and greater efficiency compared to novices.
- Lower neural activity and reduced energy expenditure were observed in experts' sensory and motor cortices.
- Findings generally supported the NEH, indicating enhanced brain efficiency with specialized training.
Conclusions:
- The NEH is supported by evidence showing improved neural efficiency in trained athletes.
- An 'efficiency paradox' and proficient brain functioning emerged as complementary hypotheses.
- Further research is recommended to explore diverse populations and sports to broaden understanding.
