The effects of perceptual-cognitive training with Neurotracker on executive brain functions among elite athletes

Abstract

The current study tests possible transfer effects from NT 3D MOT training among elite athletes from dynamic sports on executive brain functions, such as alerting, orienting, executive control, inhibition, shifting and updating. Sixty athletes from different sports, such as martial arts (boxing and wrestling), handball, soccer, orienteering, biathlon, alpine skiing, and Paralympic sports (sled hockey, badminton and table tennis), participated in a cross-over experiment-control group design over a period of 10 weeks. The results in the current study show specific training effects on training measures used by the NT 3D MOT tool, but no significant transfer effects on the executive functioning tests. The results are discussed based on the importance of training specificity and the mental state at the moment of NT 3D MOT training.

Keywords:

• elite sport
• perceptual-cognitive training
• attention
• executive functioning

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

There is a growing marked for brain training tools, such as the Neurotracker. The main goal for such tools is to improve cognitive capacities, such as for example attention. Thus, a systematic training program with brain training tools should affect executive tests measuring executive functions of the brain. The current study could not find any such effects on executive brain tests.

Competing Interest

The authors declare no competing interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no direct funding for this research.

Notes on contributors

Frode Moen

The first author is a mental trainer for elite athletes and coaches at the Norwegian Olympic Sports Center in the Mid-Norway region, where he also is the manager. He is also an associate professor at the Department of Lifelong Learning and Education at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology where his research focuses on coaching in business, coaching in sport, communication, performance psychology, athlete burnout, attention, motivation, education and relationship issues.

Maria Hrozanova

Maria Hrozanova is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Elite Sports Research at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science. Maria is investigating the influence of cognitive, emotional and physical loads on sleep patterns / recovery in elite athletes. Maria's main interests include sleep medicine, cognitive neuroscience and psychology.

Tore Stiles

Tore Charles Stiles is a professor in clinical psychology at NTNU and University of Oslo, UiO. Tore is also the funder of a clinical institute, Coperio, that focuses on cognitive psychology. Tore's main interests include cognitive psychology, insomnia, chronic fatigue, anxiety, executive functioning and sport psychology.