Inhibitory control expertise through sports practice: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Motor Control

Background:

• Motor inhibitory control (IC) is crucial for goal-directed behavior, enabling the suppression of planned or ongoing actions.
• Dynamic sports environments necessitate rapid adaptation and split-second action suppression, highlighting the potential role of IC in athletic performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if sports practice develops motor inhibitory control (IC).
• To identify key sports factors contributing to the development of IC expertise.
• To explore the implications of IC for performance markers and cognitive training in sports.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review following the PRISMA-ScR methodology.
• Searches conducted across PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, ScienceDirect, and APA PsycNet databases.
• Analysis of 26 selected articles, comparing athletes with non-athletes and examining intra-sport comparisons.

Main Results:

• Most studies (21/26) compared athletes to non-athletes, with athletes generally showing superior IC performance.
• A correlational link between sports practice and improved IC was observed.
• Limited intra-sport comparisons (5/26) were reported.

Conclusions:

• Athletes tend to exhibit better motor inhibitory control compared to non-athletes.
• While a correlation exists, longitudinal studies are required to establish a direct causal link between sports practice and IC development.
• IC may serve as a performance marker, supporting the integration of cognitive training in sports programs.