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Executive Function Strengths in Athletes: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Shuangquan Ren1, Peng Shi2, Xioasu Feng3
1Department of Physical Education, Northeast Petroleum University, Daqing, China.
Brain and Behavior
|December 31, 2024
Summary
Athletes demonstrate enhanced executive functions, including inhibitory control and working memory, compared to non-athletes. Open-skilled athletes exhibit superior cognitive flexibility and working memory, suggesting sports experience positively impacts cognitive abilities.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Executive functions are crucial for complex cognitive tasks.
- The relationship between athletic participation and executive functions requires further investigation.
- Understanding these differences can inform athlete selection and training strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the executive function advantages in athletes.
- To compare executive function differences between open-skill and closed-skill sports.
- To examine the impact of sports experience on executive functions.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search across multiple databases (CNKI, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, SPORTDiscus).
- Data extraction and quality assessment by two independent researchers.
- Statistical analysis and visualization using SPSS, Stata, and GraphPad Prism.
Main Results:
- Athletes exhibit significantly better inhibitory control and working memory than non-athletes.
- Cognitive flexibility is enhanced in elite and sub-elite athletes compared to amateurs.
- Open-skilled athletes outperform closed-skilled athletes in working memory and cognitive flexibility.
Conclusions:
- Athletes possess superior executive functions, with performance correlating positively with sports experience.
- Open-skilled athletes demonstrate enhanced executive function capabilities.
- Findings provide valuable insights for athlete development and talent identification.
