A Case Study on Neural Activity Characteristics in a Shooting Competition

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Sports Science
• Neurophysiology

Background:

• Investigating sex differences in brain activity is crucial in cognitive neuroscience.
• Shooting offers a unique model for studying neural activity due to minimal movement.
• Understanding gender-specific neural characteristics in athletes can inform training and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine gender-based differences in neural activity among novice shooters.
• To correlate electroencephalogram (EEG) data with shooting performance under competitive stress.
• To explore sex-specific brain network properties during a precision task.

Main Methods:

• Collected electroencephalogram (EEG) and behavioral data from 16 novice shooters during a competition.
• Analyzed power spectral density (PSD) and phase-locking value (PLV) network features across various frequency bands.
• Correlated neural activity metrics with shooting scores, aiming, and pressure data.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in shooting scores were observed between male and female participants.
• Significant gender-based differences were found in PSD across theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands.
• Distinct PLV network properties in theta, alpha, beta, and gamma bands were identified between genders.
• Correlations between shooting performance and neural activity were evident in both male and female novices.

Conclusions:

• Male and female novice shooters exhibit distinct neural activity patterns during competition.
• These findings highlight sex differences in brain function relevant to sports performance.
• Further research is warranted to explore the neurophysiological underpinnings of sex differences in sports.