Liang Dongmei, Qiu Lihua, Duan Xujun, Chen Huafu, Liu Chengyi, Gong Qiyong
School of Physical Education and Sports Exercise, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
National Demonstration Center for Experimental Sports Science Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Front Neurosci. 2022 May 27;16:877103. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2022.877103. eCollection 2022.
Our previous reports reflected some aspects of neuroplastic changes from long-term Chinese chess training but were mainly based on large-scale intrinsic connectivity. In contrast to functional connectivity among remote brain areas, synchronization of local intrinsic activity demonstrates functional connectivity among regional areas. Until now, local connectivity changes in professional Chinese chess players (PCCPs) have been reported only at specific hubs; whole-brain-based local connectivity and its relation to training profiles has not been revealed.
To investigate whole-brain local connectivity changes and their relation to training profiles in PCCPs.
Regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis of rs-fMRI data from 22 PCCPs versus 21 novices was performed to determine local connectivity changes and their relation to training profiles.
Compared to novices, PCCPs showed increased regional spontaneous activity in the posterior lobe of the left cerebellum, the left temporal pole, the right amygdala, and the brainstem but decreased ReHo in the right precentral gyrus. From a whole-brain perspective, local activity in areas such as the posterior lobe of the right cerebellum and the caudate correlated with training profiles.
Regional homogeneity changes in PCCPs were consistent with the classical view of automaticity in motor control and learning. Related areas in the pattern indicated an enhanced capacity for emotion regulation, supporting cool and focused attention during gameplay. The possible participation of the basal ganglia-cerebellar-cerebral networks, as suggested by these correlation results, expands our present knowledge of the neural substrates of professional chess players. Meanwhile, ReHo change occurred in an area responsible for the pronunciation and reading of Chinese characters. Additionally, professional Chinese chess training was associated with change in a region that is affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD).
我们之前的报告反映了长期中国象棋训练引起的神经可塑性变化的某些方面，但主要基于大规模内在连接性。与远程脑区之间的功能连接不同，局部内在活动的同步性显示了区域之间的功能连接。到目前为止，仅在特定枢纽报道了职业中国象棋棋手（PCCP）的局部连接性变化；尚未揭示基于全脑的局部连接性及其与训练情况的关系。
研究PCCP的全脑局部连接性变化及其与训练情况的关系。
对22名PCCP和21名新手的静息态功能磁共振成像（rs-fMRI）数据进行局部一致性（ReHo）分析，以确定局部连接性变化及其与训练情况的关系。
与新手相比，PCCP在左小脑后叶、左颞极、右杏仁核和脑干区域的自发活动增加，但右侧中央前回的ReHo降低。从全脑角度来看，右小脑后叶和尾状核等区域的局部活动与训练情况相关。
PCCP的局部一致性变化与运动控制和学习中自动化的经典观点一致。模式中的相关区域表明情绪调节能力增强，支持游戏过程中冷静和专注的注意力。这些相关性结果表明基底神经节 - 小脑 - 大脑网络可能参与其中，扩展了我们目前对职业棋手神经基础的认识。同时，ReHo变化发生在负责汉字发音和阅读的区域。此外，职业中国象棋训练与受阿尔茨海默病（AD）影响的区域变化有关。
