The impact of intellectual disability and sport expertise on cognitive and executive functions

Abstract

Our aim was to identify the suitability of three assessment tools (i.e., Flanker test, Updating Word Span, and Color Trails Test) for future inclusion in the classification process of elite Paralympic athletes with intellectual disability and to assess the strength of the relation between Executive function (EF) and intelligence. Cognitive and EF assessments were performed on 59 participants, divided into four groups according to their cognitive level (with versus without intellectual disability) and sport expertise (athlete versus novice). Inhibition and working memory update skills were implicated in people with intellectual disability. For set-shifting, a more nuanced picture was observed. Strong associations between EF and intelligence was found in people with intellectual disability. Working memory updating and set-shifting are relevant EF skills to assess in the context of elite sport; however, culture-free alternatives for the Updating Word Span test are needed, and alternatives to the Color Trails Test, less reliant on literacy skills are required.

Top-level para-karate: kata competition performance analysis

“…Strong associations between executive function and intelligence were found in people with intellectual disability. Working memory updating and set-shifting are relevant executive function skills to assess in the context of elite sport [22].…”

Scoping review of dual-task interference in individuals with intellectual disability

“…Third, patterns of dual-task interference only covered groups’ average performance and did not incorporate performance variability because of inconsistent reporting. Examining the effect of dual-tasking on performance variability in ID is relevant given the well-known tendency toward larger performance variability in participants with ID relative to controls ( Jenkinson, 1989 ; Lahtinen et al, 2007 ; Van Biesen et al, 2023 ). Finally, included studies were not appraised for quality, in alignment with scoping review methodology ( Arksey and O’Malley, 2005 ; Levac et al, 2010 ).…”

“…Following the prediction of the resource model, a smaller resource pool would restrict what is available for single- and dual-task performance and increase vulnerability to dual-task interference. Second, there is evidence supporting impaired executive function in individuals with ID ( Spaniol and Danielsson, 2022 ; Van Biesen et al, 2023 ), which could hinder efficient allocation of resource and coordination of component tasks during dual-task performance.…”

Comparative Analysis of Anthropometric Indicators of Children With Intellectual Impairment

“…Как отмечают авторы, дети с умственной отсталостью, помимо сопутствующих нарушений психических, познавательных процессов [3][4][5][6] и речи, имеют также отклонения в физическом развитии [3; 5; 7; 8], что проявляется в отставании в длине (росте) и массе тела, ожирении; окружности грудной клетки и низких показателях жизненной ёмкости легких, в мышечной слабости [9], асимметричном развитии мышц [10], нарушении осанки [11], деформации стопы, что в свою очередь вместе с нарушением координации [11][12][13] способствует динамическим нарушения, в частности при освоении основных локомоций…”