Motor Development and Learning
Moniralsadat Arvin; Zohreh Meshkati; Rokhsareh Badami
Abstract
Purpose and context: Executive brain functions are a vital indicator of athletic success, and one of the interventions that can affect them is quadrato exercises. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of these exercises at the behavioral level on the executive function ...
Read More
Purpose and context: Executive brain functions are a vital indicator of athletic success, and one of the interventions that can affect them is quadrato exercises. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of these exercises at the behavioral level on the executive function of semi-skilled athletes.
Research method: A total of 100 semi-skilled female athletes participating in club levels of shooting sports in the age range of 15 to 18 years were selected from among the shooters of Yazd province using an accessible method and randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. In separate sessions, each of the Wisconsin, N-Back, and Flanker card tests was taken to measure executive function. The intervention of Quadrato exercises was performed for 6 minutes every day for 28 days. Then, the post-test was taken according to the pre-test. The data were analyzed using multivariate and univariate covariance tests in SPSS version 26 software and the significance level was considered (p<0.05).
Findings: The findings showed that quadrato exercises improved response inhibition by 12.6%, working memory by 21.6%, and cognitive flexibility by 18%.
Conclusion: The results of this research were in line with the structural and functional research of the brain. Quadrato motor training at the behavioral level had a positive effect on the three cores of executive function (cognitive flexibility, working memory, response inhibition) and can be a suitable intervention to increase the executive function of athletes.
Motor Development and Learning
heidar hanoon; ali heyrani; ehsan amiri
Abstract
Introduction: This research investigates the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation, in one or more sessions, on the executive functions of novice tennis players.
Methods: 27 novice male tennis players (mean age 20.29 ± 0.29) were randomly and double-blindly divided into three groups: experimental ...
Read More
Introduction: This research investigates the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation, in one or more sessions, on the executive functions of novice tennis players.
Methods: 27 novice male tennis players (mean age 20.29 ± 0.29) were randomly and double-blindly divided into three groups: experimental group 1 (5 sessions of anodal stimulation), experimental group 2 (1 session of anodal stimulation), and control group (no anodal stimulation). Stimulation was applied for 20 minutes at an intensity of 2 mA in the M1 and DLPFC regions. Indicators of selective attention, working memory, response inhibition and cognitive flexibility were measured before (pre-test), after 5 sessions (post-test) and 2 weeks after the intervention (retention). For statistical analysis, a repeated measures ANOVA test (3x3 factorial design) was used.
Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference between the intervention groups in the indicators of selective attention and working memory in any of the evaluation stages (P> 0.05). However, experimental group 1 showed a more significant improvement in response inhibition (p= 0.018) and cognitive flexibility (p= 0.14) indices in the retention test compared to the control group, while no significant difference was observed between the other groups (P> 0.05). Both experimental groups showed significant improvement in all indicators in the post-test and retention. Notably, experimental group 1 showed a significant improvement in all indicators from post-test to retention (P<0.05).
Conclusion: In conclusion, both single-session and multi-session tDCS enhance executive functions in novice tennis players, with repeated stimulation yielding more durable cognitive benefits.
