Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University, Boston, USA.
Department of Psychology, University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, IN, USA.
Exp Brain Res. 2021 May;239(5):1381-1393. doi: 10.1007/s00221-021-06078-9. Epub 2021 Mar 24.
We examined changes in brain rhythms in relation to optimal performance in self-paced sports. Eight studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria, representing 153 participants and eight different sports. We found that (a) optimal performance is characterised by increased alpha (g = .62, p = .02) and theta (g = .74, p = .002) across the cortex; (b) during optimal performance the frontal lobe is more relaxed (higher alpha; g = 1.06, p = .18) and less busy (lower theta; g = .38, p = .08), in comparison to the other brain lobes; (c) for the same given task, experts' brains are more relaxed (higher alpha, g = .89, p = .34) and less busy (lower theta, g = .91, p = .54) than novices' brains. Theoretically, our findings suggest that neural efficiency, neural proficiency, and transient hypofrontality are likely complementary neural mechanisms that underpin optimal performance. In practice, neurofeedback training should teach athletes how to amplify and suppress their alpha and theta activity across the brain during all movement stages.
我们研究了与自我调节运动中的最佳表现相关的脑节律变化。八项研究符合纳入/排除标准，代表了 153 名参与者和八项不同的运动。我们发现：（a）最佳表现的特征是大脑皮层的α波（g=0.62，p=0.02）和θ波（g=0.74，p=0.002）增加；（b）在最佳表现期间，与其他脑区相比，额叶更放松（更高的α波；g=1.06，p=0.18），活动减少（更低的θ波；g=0.38，p=0.08）；（c）对于相同的任务，专家的大脑比新手的大脑更放松（更高的α波，g=0.89，p=0.34），活动减少（更低的θ波，g=0.91，p=0.54）。从理论上讲，我们的发现表明，神经效率、神经熟练度和短暂的前额叶功能低下可能是支持最佳表现的互补神经机制。在实践中，神经反馈训练应该教会运动员如何在所有运动阶段在大脑中增强和抑制其α波和θ波活动。
