Inhibitory event-related potentials during soccer-specific decision making in collegiate players

Inhibitory control is a critical component of executive function that may contribute to athletic performance. However, neurocognitive research in soccer has largely relied on general, nonsport-specific tasks. Therefore, this study examined behavioral and neurophysiological indices of inhibitory control, specifically the N2 and P3 components of event-related potentials (ERPs), using visual, auditory, and soccer-specific Go/No-go tasks, and investigated their relationships with physical fitness and technical-tactical performance in amateur collegiate soccer players. Forty-one male collegiate soccer players participated in the study, with analytic sample sizes varying across assessments because of technical problems, artifact rejection, and physical constraints. Participants performed the Go/No-go tasks using a foot-switch response while electroencephalographic activity was recorded. Physical fitness was assessed using a 30-m sprint test, the Arrowhead Agility Test, and the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2). Technical-tactical performance was evaluated during 4-vs-4 small-sided games using the Game Technical Scoring Chart (GTSC). During the soccer-specific task, reaction time was significantly associated with the peak amplitude of the subtracted No-go-N2 at Fz, with shorter reaction times associated with more negative No-go-N2 amplitudes (r = 0.552, p < 0.001, n = 37). In contrast, the multiple linear regression model predicting GTSC scores from physical, behavioral, and neurophysiological measures did not reach statistical significance (F(4, 26) = 2.713, p = .052, R ² = .294, adjusted R ² = .186), and none of the individual predictors was statistically significant. These findings suggest an association between inhibition-related ERP activity and response speed during soccer-specific decision making involving complex visual processing and lower-limb responses. Further studies using appropriate comparison groups and better-matched task conditions are needed to determine whether this relationship reflects soccer-specific expertise or more general differences in perceptual, cognitive, and motor demands.