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Mapping brain structure and function in professional fencers: A model to study training effects on central nervous
Claudio Cordani1, Paolo Preziosa1,2, Roberto Gatti3
1Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
Human Brain Mapping
|April 1, 2022
Summary
Elite fencers exhibit distinct brain functional changes, particularly in frontal regions, optimizing motor control and planning for complex tasks and interlimb coordination. These adaptations reflect intensive training
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sports Science
- Motor Control
Background:
- High-level athletes show altered brain structures and functions compared to non-athletes.
- The relationship between these brain changes and interlimb coordination mechanisms is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate brain structural and functional differences in elite fencers versus controls.
- Examine the neuroimaging basis of interlimb coordination in elite athletes.
Main Methods:
- Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used.
- Participants performed cyclic bimanual movements and in-phase/antiphase dominant limb movements.
- Compared brain activity and functional connectivity between 14 fencers and 15 controls.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in gray matter volume or white matter architecture were found between groups.
- Fencers showed higher activation in basal ganglia during bimanual tasks and frontal areas during in-phase tasks compared to controls.
- Fencers exhibited increased functional connectivity between the left motor cortex and fronto-temporal areas and thalami.
Conclusions:
- Intensive fencing training is linked to functional brain changes, especially in frontal regions crucial for motor control and task planning.
- These brain modifications likely represent an optimization of neural networks for motor activities, including interlimb coordination.
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