Effects of the Type of Sports Practice on the Executive Functions of Schoolchildren

Abstract

There is a close relationship between the development of complex motor skills and executive functions during childhood. This study aimed to analyze the differences in different dimensions of executive functions in children practicing an open-skill sport (handball) and a closed-skill sport (athletics) and controls who did not participate in sports activities after a 12-week intervention period. School-aged male and female subjects (n = 90; mean ± standard deviation = 11.45 ± 0.68 years) participated in a non-randomized controlled study. Data analysis was performed using the STATA V.15 statistical software. The athletics intervention promoted semantic fluency (p = 0.007), whereas handball increased inhibition (p = 0.034). Additionally, physical activity improved in both intervention groups (p = < 0.001), whereas sprint performance improved in the handball group following intervention (p = 0.008), lower body muscular power improved in athletics (p = 0.04), and evidence of improvement in upper body muscular strength was noted in handball (p = 0.037). In turn, an increase in the Physical Activity Questionnaire for older Children score showed an association with the Standard Ten scores of executive functions. In conclusion, compared to controls, both athletics and handball induced meaningful improvements in physical activity and executive functions. However, sport-specific adaptations were noted after athletics (i.e., semantic fluency and lower body muscular power) and handball (i.e., inhibition, sprint, and upper-body muscular strength).

Usability and Effects of a Combined Physical and Cognitive Intervention Based on Active Video Games for Preschool Children

“…An interesting finding in this study is that EFs were not significantly increased in the conventional physical activities group over the intervention period, which contradicts earlier research concluding that longitudinal physical activity programs improved EFs [ 56 , 57 ]. This finding may be related to the short intervention period of only four weeks in this study; conventional physical activities with less cognitive involvement would barely have a significant influence on EFs in such a short period.…”

Effects of Sport-Based Exercise Interventions on Executive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…From an early age, executive functions are associated with physical activity [10][11][12][13][14], especially with the practice of sports [15][16][17][18][19]. Such a relationship has also been evidenced in older people, and associations have been reported between complex motor tasks and executive functioning [20].…”

Effect of physical exercise in real‐world settings on executive function of atypical children: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…In addition, one reason for the controversy in research on exercise interventions for executive function in atypical children is the different types of motor skills used in the studies (Shi, Tang, et al, 2022). And some studies (Contreras-Osorio et al, 2022;Koch & Krenn, 2021) (Zhang, 2012). Open skills are those that involve performing motor tasks in an unpredictable environment, where individuals need to react and adjust their movements to changes in the environment; closed skills are those that involve performing motor tasks in a stable, predictable environment, where individuals are able to plan their movement routines in advance (Zhang, 2012).…”

“…In addition, one reason for the controversy in research on exercise interventions for executive function in atypical children is the different types of motor skills used in the studies (Shi, Tang, et al, 2022). And some studies (Contreras‐Osorio et al, 2022; Koch & Krenn, 2021) have shown variability in the effects of different types of motor skill interventions on executive function.…”