Inside the brain of an elite athlete: the neural processes that support high achievement in sports

Yarrow, Kielan; Brown, Peter; Krakauer, John W.

doi:10.1038/nrn2672

Cited by 466 publications

(407 citation statements)

References 136 publications

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“…Our findings add weight to the notion that the right striatum occupies a key position in evolving expert performance, as has previously been shown in professional musicians (James et al, 2013), chess players (Haslinger et al, 2004), athletes (Duan et al, 2012) and here, in simultaneous interpreters. This notion is compatible with the wideranging roles of the basal ganglia, which include cognitive pattern generation (Milton et al, 2007;Yarrow et al, 2009), action pattern selection and refinement (Graybiel, 1997), and prediction (Houk et al, 2007), and in learning, memory and motivation more generally. Expertise requires the ability to rapidly and dynamically respond to various inputs within the trained domain, and requires the flexible deployment of acquired action repertoires -a role tailor-made for a structure that is profoundly implicated in the control of goal-directed action (Kotz et al, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 48%

Brain functional plasticity associated with the emergence of expertise in extreme language control

2015

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We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to longitudinally examine brain plasticity arising from long-term, intensive simultaneous interpretation training. Simultaneous interpretation is a bilingual task with heavy executive control demands. We compared brain responses observed during simultaneous interpretation with those observed during simultaneous speech repetition (shadowing) in a group of trainee simultaneous interpreters, at the beginning and at the end of their professional training program. Age, sex and languageproficiency matched controls were scanned at similar intervals. Using multivariate pattern classification, we found distributed patterns of changes in functional responses from the first to second scan that distinguished the interpreters from the controls. We also found reduced recruitment of the right caudate nucleus during simultaneous interpretation as a result of training. Such practice-related change is consistent with decreased demands on multilingual language control as the task becomes more automatized with practice. These results demonstrate the impact of simultaneous interpretation training on the brain functional response in a cerebral structure that is not specifically linguistic, but that is known to be involved in learning, in motor control, and in a variety of domain-general executive functions. Along with results of recent studies showing functional and structural adaptations in the caudate nuclei of experts in a broad range of domains, our results underline the importance of this structure as a central node in expertise-related networks.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 48%

Brain functional plasticity associated with the emergence of expertise in extreme language control

2015

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“…Dance expertise can be acquired to different degrees of professionalism, often judged according to the performers' physical virtuosity in terms of limb coordination, flexibility, and strength, as well as other performative and aesthetic elements that are more subjectively determined. These latter components are the ones that make the dancer distinguishable from other motor experts such as athletes or martial artists (Yarrow, Brown, & Krakauer, 2009), and they are crucial for psychology and neuroscience studies that aim to investigate the integration of physical virtuosity with aesthetic, affective, communicative and social elements. Both the physical and the artistic demands of dance require manifold cognitive abilities that can be studied using behavioral and neuroscientific methods (Bläsing, Puttke & Schack, 2010).…”

Section: Neurocognitive Control In Dance Perception and Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

Neurocognitive control in dance perception and performance

et al. 2012

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Dance is a rich source of material for researchers interested in the integration of movement and cognition. The multiple aspects of embodied cognition involved in performing and perceiving dance have inspired scientists to use dance as a means for studying motor control, expertise, and action-perception links. The aim of this review is to present basic research on cognitive and neural processes implicated in the execution, expression, and observation of dance, and to bring into relief contemporary issues and open research questions. The review addresses six topics: 1) dancers' exemplary motor control, in terms of postural control, equilibrium maintenance, and stabilization; 2) how dancers' timing and on-line synchronization are influenced by attention demands and motor experience; 3) the critical roles played by sequence learning and memory; 4) how dancers make strategic use of visual and motor imagery; 5) the insights into the neural coupling between action and perception yielded through exploration of the brain architecture mediating dance observation; and 6) a neuroesthetics perspective that sheds new light on the way audiences perceive and evaluate dance expression. Current and emerging issues are presented regarding future directions that will facilitate the ongoing dialog between science and dance

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“…Improvement of athletic techniques, with which motor skills are performed, is directly related to learning ability of athlete (50). Therefore, trainers should create an efficient learning environment for their athletes during the training process.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomechanical structure of sprint start and effect of biological feedback methods on sprint start performance

OZSU¹

2014

TJSE

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One of the profound factors that affect sprint performance of athletes is the transfer of the possible highest propulsive force onto the starting blocks using an ideal sprint start body position. Hence, in the literature, there are a great deal of studies related to assessment and improvement of sprint start performance. In this review, evaluation of the literature based on improving the sprint start performance and sharing obtained instructions with sport scientists, trainers and athletes were aimed. According to the literature knowledge, it is stated that higher propulsive force onto the starting block and acceleration are two most important factors affecting on the results of sprint running. Also, it is rational to state that permanent kinesthetic awareness of individualized sprint start position could lead to significant improvements in sprint performances. For this reason, biofeedback trainings will be useful methods that provide a kinesthetic awareness of individualized sprint start position for athletes. Thus, athletes increase the probability of learning motor skill when they have opportunity to compare the actual motor performance output with expected ideal performance output. It is stated that motor skill acquisition level of athletes increases considerably if feedback is provided appropriately. Accordingly, the aim of this review is to present literature based knowledge about biomechanics of sprint start and effects of biological feedback methods on sprint start performance.

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Inside the brain of an elite athlete: the neural processes that support high achievement in sports

Abstract: This is the unspecified version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent

Cited by 466 publications

References 136 publications

Brain functional plasticity associated with the emergence of expertise in extreme language control

Brain functional plasticity associated with the emergence of expertise in extreme language control

Neurocognitive control in dance perception and performance

Biomechanical structure of sprint start and effect of biological feedback methods on sprint start performance

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