The Effect of Left Temporal EEG Neurofeedback Training on Cerebral Cortical Activity and Precision Cognitive-Motor...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Sports Science
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Pre-elite athletes require optimal cognitive and neural states for peak performance.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) measures brain activity, with alpha power linked to attentional states.
• Neurofeedback offers a potential method to modulate brain activity for performance enhancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of individualized EEG alpha power neurofeedback on cerebral cortical activation and performance accuracy in air pistol shooters.
• To compare the effects of neurofeedback training versus physical skill training alone.

Main Methods:

• Twenty healthy air pistol shooters participated, with 10 receiving 16 neurofeedback sessions over 6 weeks.
• EEG alpha power and coherence were recorded from temporal regions (T3, T4) before and after the intervention.
• Statistical analysis involved ANOVAs examining group, hemisphere, time, and epoch effects on EEG parameters and shooting scores.

Main Results:

• The neurofeedback group showed increased low- and high-alpha EEG power in both temporal regions.
• No significant differences were found in EEG broad-band alpha coherence between groups.
• The neurofeedback group demonstrated significantly improved shooting performance compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• Neurofeedback training positively influences cerebral cortical arousal and performance in precision aiming tasks.
• The observed effects on alpha power extended beyond the targeted region, indicating a broader impact on neural efficiency.
• These findings suggest neurofeedback can be a valuable tool for enhancing athletic performance through brain activity modulation.