The executive brain of the athlete: Examining the effects of fast decision-making and problem-solving on the field on the development of executive functioning

运动员的执行大脑：检查现场快速决策和解决问题对执行功能发展的影响

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-06190
• 负责人: GarciaBarrera, Mauricio
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: University of Victoria
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=682864
• 关键词: executive; brain; athlete; Examining; effects

Imagine a soccer game. A player is driving the ball aiming at a goal; players from both teams surround her, moving positions fast. She is facing several scenarios with contingencies that are shifting: one involves passing the ball to one of two teammates she could aim for; another involves attempting the goal herself but the distance would take some risks. Her brain is computing, making decisions and problem solving by adjusting her actions to gain time. She selects the player, aims and makes a successful pass. They score. This executive manoeuvre has been repeated thousands of times in her career, and unbeknownst to her, her brain is changing, benefiting from the experience. In this context, converging evidence has demonstrated benefits of exercise to a set of neurological-based cognitive control processes, collectively known as executive function', which is essential to navigate our environment, problem-solve and decision-make, and which plays an important role in academic and job performance.******There are at least three main pathways by which exercise has an enhancing effect on executive function: First, the neurophysiological changes induced by exercise, including up-regulation of naturally occurring brain substances capable of stimulating neuronal growth and brain plasticity; second, the gains in cardiovascular capacity, which enhances the efficiency with which oxygen and nutrients are supplied to the brain, facilitating the provision of energy for neuronal activity and resulting in benefits to cognition; and there is a possible third pathway that has not been examined, and it relates to the executive demands inherent to the type of sport (e.g., strategic, flexible decision-making in team-based sports vs. individual sports characterized by focused attention on endurance). This program of research aims to evaluate those pathways in an innovative manner, by: (1) examining how type of sport as well as cardiovascular capacity moderate the effect of exercise on executive functioning, (2) building from my previous NSERC Discovery team Grant, comparing trial-to-trial and semester-to-semester variability patterns in executive functions task performance and behaviour between athletes and sedentary controls, (3) examining within-person changes of neurophysiological markers of brain function over time in adolescent athletes versus their non-athlete peers; adolescence being a critical period for executive functioning development, (4) implementing a sports-based physical activity program to examine the long-terms effects on executive functioning, and (5) given that cumulative evidence has shown that intergenerational transmission (parent to child transmission of executive abilities), gender, and socioeconomic status play a role in executive function development, this proposal includes examination of these variables. Such longitudinal and programmatic research will provide multimodal evidence of the effects of long-term exercise on executive functioning.

想象一场足球比赛。一名球员正在将球射向球门；两队的球员都围着她，快速移动着位置。她面临着几种不断变化的突发情况：一种是把球传给她可以瞄准的两名队友之一；另一种是把球传给她可以瞄准的两名队友之一；另一种是自己尝试实现目标，但距离会带来一些风险。她的大脑正在计算、做出决定并通过调整行动来解决问题以获得时间。她选择球员、瞄准并成功传球。他们得分。这种执行策略在她的职业生涯中已经重复了数千次，而她不知道的是，她的大脑正在发生变化，并从这次经历中受益。在这种情况下，越来越多的证据表明，运动对一系列基于神经学的认知控制过程（统称为“执行功能”）有好处，这对于驾驭环境、解决问题和决策至关重要，并且在学业和工作表现中发挥着重要作用。********运动对执行功能的增强作用至少有三个主要途径：首先，运动引起的神经生理变化，包括自然产生的大脑物质的上调 能够刺激神经元生长和大脑可塑性；其次，心血管能力的提高，提高了向大脑供应氧气和营养物质的效率，有利于为神经元活动提供能量，从而有利于认知；还有第三种可能的途径尚未被研究过，它与运动类型固有的执行要求有关（例如，团队运动中的战略性、灵活的决策与以耐力为特征的个人运动）。该研究计划旨在以创新的方式评估这些途径，通过：（1）检查运动类型和心血管能力如何调节运动对执行功能的影响，（2）以我之前的 NSERC 发现团队格兰特为基础，比较运动员和久坐对照组之间执行功能任务表现和行为的试验与试验之间以及学期与学期之间的变异模式，（3）检查人体内神经生理学的变化 青少年运动员与非运动员同龄人随时间变化的大脑功能标记；青春期是执行功能发展的关键时期，(4) 实施以体育为基础的体育活动计划，以检查对执行功能的长期影响，以及 (5) 鉴于累积的证据表明代际传递（执行能力的父母向子女的传递）、性别和社会经济地位在执行功能的发展中发挥着作用，本提案包括对这些变量的检查。这种纵向和程序性研究将为长期锻炼对执行功能的影响提供多模式证据。