Making the case for mobile cognition: EEG and sports performance

Abstract

In the high stakes world of International sport even the smallest change in performance can make the difference between success and failure, leading sports professionals to become increasingly interested in the potential benefits of neuroimaging. Here we describe evidence from EEG studies that either identify neural signals associated with expertise in sport, or employ neurofeedback to improve performance. Evidence for the validity of neurofeedback as a technique for enhancing sports performance remains limited. By contrast, progress in characterizing the neural correlates of sporting behavior is clear: frequency domain studies link expert performance to changes in alpha rhythms, whilst time-domain studies link expertise in response evaluation and motor output with modulations of P300 effects and readiness potentials. Despite early promise, however, findings have had relatively little impact for sports professionals, at least in part because there has been a mismatch between lab tasks and real sporting activity. After selectively reviewing existing findings and outlining limitations, we highlight developments in mobile EEG technology that offer new opportunities for sports neuroscience.

Performance Optimization in Sport: A Psychophysiological Approach

“…Indeed, a great deal of research demonstrated an association between particular electroencephalographic patterns and performance in specific cognitive tasks and activities. For this reason, electroencephalography is used as a high-resolution temporal technique to understand performance and its improvements in the context of sports sciences 17 .…”

“…This rhythm was also studied as a marker of resources allocation during motor programming 32 . Beta oscillation (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30),on the other hand, has a central position in the treatment of sensorimotor information and serves as a functional link between different brain regions such as the pre-motor, motor (M1), and somatosensory (S1) cortex, the supplementary motor area, and the cerebellum 31 . Beta oscillation could play the role of a motor "binding" linking the different commands related to a global gesture as suggested for sensory awareness 30 .…”

Exploring the Potential of Combining Smart Glasses and Consumer-grade EEG/EMG Headsets for Controlling IoT Appliances in the Smart Home

“…The research to less unobtrusive EEG solutions for mobile cognition is making rapid progress. Miniaturized EEG electrodes integrated in discreet baseball caps and individualized ear pieces have recently been reported [13,14]. It remains an open question which type of cognition can be captured accurately enough with these devices, as the electrodes only cover a limited region of the scalp.…”

Use of Objective Neurocognitive Measures to Assess the Psychological States that Influence Return to Sport Following Injury

“…The psychological state of the individual, when properly measured neurocognitively, will identify characteristics and patterns of brain activity and allow for objective classification improving clinical outcomes [24,25]. Neurocognition refers to correlating emotional / psychological factors and cognitive processing with physiological patterns of neural activity [25].…”

“…Thus, neurofeedback provides an individual with the ability to manipulate their own brain activity toward a specific goal. A recent study utilized neurofeedback as a means for improving sport performance [24]. Thus, as a result of one learning to control their own brain patterns, this modality could provide improvement for individuals to RTS caused by neurocognitive deficits.…”