In a small study, published in the journal Biological Psychology, there was evidence to suggest differences in brain structures of athletes and nonathletes. It is common knowledge to find that athletes as a group, have better ability to self-regulate their physical activity. But now there is research to show that athletes may have better control of their brainwave activity when compared to those who don’t partake in exercise or sports.
According to research, high level athletes demonstrate improved executive cognition which they use to their advantage during competition. Many of the known benefits of regular exercise include, improved cognitive control which enhance attention and concentration. Giving one a competitive edge.
Athletes do have better overall self-regulation of physical activity than nonathletes. In this small study the author and his team were seeking to determine if athletes also had better brain activity self-regulation skills.
They explained the two things that was required to control biological signals may more than likely be found in high level athletes. One, is that athletes show they have a special ability to discriminate or be in touch with their physiological signals. So, researchers thought athletes may be able to use this to help them be more in touch with their biological signals as well. Secondly, since exercise has been shown to enhance cognition, executive functioning and self-regulation. Athletes may be capable of altering brain activity in a desired direction to improve performance.
The study involved neurofeedback training where the use of an EEG device and computer is used to record brain activity, process it and send it back to the person. The person works to change their brain activity to improve, control or manipulate a desired response to help cognition or emotional control.
The research team recruited 26 triathletes and 25 nonathletes (control group). Both groups participated in a single session of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) upregulation training. Only one of the group had the actual real neurofeedback while the other did not. In both cases the participants watched a computer screen and tried to control the size of the bar that reflected their SMR power.
The results showed that both triathletes and nonathletes increased their SMR power when having the real neurofeedback. But interestingly, only the triathletes successfully outperformed the nonathletes on the second run of the training session. They showed a linear increase in SMR power this time over the nonathletes. Another interesting result, was that the triathletes who had the more experience in years of training showed greater relevant changes in brain activity.
The authors of the study said the results suggested that, “triathletes were able to self-regulate their brain activity in a desired direction over a longer time period compared to the control group.”
The nonathletes demonstrated they were able to better control their brain activity through the first seven runs of the neurofeedback but were not able to sustain the mental state necessary for the final three runs of the training.
The research team now is interested in determining if the results of this small study could be replicated across other sporting events.
After examining the findings from a structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The triathletes showed more robust gray and white matter volumes in the inferior frontal gyrus compared to the nonathletes. This could be why the triathletes demonstrated a superior ability over the nonathletes to self-regulate their brain activity.
I found the results of this study to be interesting but not surprising. Athletes have always demonstrated a special ability to control body movements and muscle coordination which rely on brain wave activity. But I was not surprised to know that neurofeedback was effective on the nonathletes as well.
Neurofeedback therapy is so helpful to so many people of all ages.
– A Balanced Brain is a Better Brain for a Happier Life-