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Journal of Sports Science & Medicine Jun 2024Agility, defined as the ability to rapidly respond to unforeseen events, constitutes a central performance component in football. Existing agility training approaches... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Agility, defined as the ability to rapidly respond to unforeseen events, constitutes a central performance component in football. Existing agility training approaches often focus on change of direction that does not reflect the complex motor-cognitive demands on the pitch. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of a novel motor-cognitive dual-task agility training (Multiple-object tracking integrated into agility training) on agility and football-specific test performance parameters, compared to agility and a change of direction (COD) training. Adult male amateur football players (n = 42; age: 27±6; height: 181±7cm; weight: 80±12kg) were randomly allocated to one of the three intervention groups (COD, agility, agility + multiple object tracking). The Loughborough Soccer Passing Test (LSPT), a dribbling test with/without cognitive task as well as the Random Star Run (with/without ball) and the modified T-Test were assessed before and after a 6-week training period. Time effects within the T-Test (F = 83.9; p < 0.001; η = 0.68) and dribbling test without cognitive task (F = 23.9; p < 0.001; η = 0.38) with improvements of all intervention groups (p < 0.05) were found. Dribbling with cognitive task revealed a time effect (F = 7.8; p = 0.008; η = 0.17), with improvements exclusively in the agility and dual-task agility groups (p < 0.05). Random Star Run with and without ball exhibited a time (F = 38.8; p < 0.001; η = 0.5; F = 82.7; p < 0.001; η = 0.68) and interaction effect (F = 14.14; p < 0.001; η = 0.42; F = 27.8; p < 0.001; η = 0.59), with improvements for the agility and dual-task agility groups. LSPT showed no time, group or interaction effect. The effects of change of direction training are limited to change of direction and dribbling test performance within preplanned scenarios. In contrast, motor-cognitive agility interventions result in notable enhancements in football-specific and agility tests, incorporating decision-making and multitasking components. No differences were observed between agility and agility + multiple object tracking. To achieve a transfer to game-relevant performance, coaches should focus on integrating cognitive challenges into motor training.
Topics: Humans; Male; Athletic Performance; Soccer; Adult; Cognition; Motor Skills; Young Adult; Physical Conditioning, Human; Exercise Test; Running
PubMed: 38841643
DOI: 10.52082/jssm.2024.276 -
Journal of Neuroengineering and... Jun 2024This scoping review aims to explore published literature testing Virtual Reality (VR) interventions for improving upper limb motor performance in children and... (Review)
Review
Evaluating the impact of virtual reality game training on upper limb motor performance in children and adolescents with developmental coordination disorder: a scoping review using the ICF framework.
OBJECTIVE
This scoping review aims to explore published literature testing Virtual Reality (VR) interventions for improving upper limb motor performance in children and adolescents with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Our primary focus was on the types of VR systems used and the measurement tools employed within the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY) domains in these studies.
METHODS
A comprehensive search of six electronic databases up to 11th January 2024 was conducted using predefined terms. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to determine study eligibility, with two authors independently assessing titles, abstracts, and full-text articles.
RESULTS
Out of 788 potential studies, 14 met the eligibility criteria. Studies predominantly utilized non-immersive VR (nVR) systems, for example, commercial platforms such as Nintendo Wii. Most interventions targeted general motor coordination or balance, with only four studies specifically focusing on upper limb motor performance. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 was the predominant assessment tool. However, the use of game scores and trial durations raised concerns about the accuracy of assessments. The majority of studies reported no significant improvement in upper limb motor performance following VR interventions, though some noted improvements in specific tasks or overall outcomes.
CONCLUSION
The findings suggest that, while nVR interventions are being explored for paediatric motor rehabilitation, their impact on enhancing upper limb motor performance in children with DCD is unclear. The variability in intervention designs, outcome measures, and the predominant focus on general motor skills rather than specific upper limb improvements highlight the need for more targeted research in this area.
IMPACT
This review underscores the importance of developing precise and clinically relevant measurement tools in a broader range of VR technologies to optimize the use of VR in therapy for children with DCD. Future research should aim for more rigorous study designs and emerging immersive technologies to maximize therapeutic benefits.
Topics: Humans; Motor Skills Disorders; Child; Adolescent; Upper Extremity; Virtual Reality; Video Games; International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; Motor Skills; Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
PubMed: 38840217
DOI: 10.1186/s12984-024-01393-y -
Experimental Brain Research Jul 2024Mental fatigue (MF) and hypoxia impair cognitive performance through changes in brain hemodynamics. We want to elucidate the role of prefrontal cortex (PFC)-oxygenation...
Mental fatigue (MF) and hypoxia impair cognitive performance through changes in brain hemodynamics. We want to elucidate the role of prefrontal cortex (PFC)-oxygenation in MF. Twelve participants (22.9 ± 3.5 years) completed four experimental trials, (1) MF in (normobaric) hypoxia (MF_HYP) (3.800 m; 13.5%O), (2) MF in normoxia (MF_NOR) (98 m; 21.0%O), (3) Control task in HYP (CON_HYP), (4) Control in NOR (CON_NOR). Participants performed a 2-back task, Digit Symbol Substitution test and Psychomotor Vigilance task before and after a 60-min Stroop task or an emotionally neutral documentary. Brain oxygenation was measured through functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy. Subjective feelings of MF and physiological measures (heart rate, oxygen saturation, blood glucose and hemoglobin) were recorded. The Stroop task resulted in increased subjective feelings of MF compared to watching the documentary. 2-back accuracy was lower post task compared to pre task in MF_NOR and CON_NOR, while no differences were found in the other cognitive tasks. The fraction of inspired oxygen did not impact feelings of MF. Although performing the Stroop resulted in higher subjective feelings of MF, hypoxia had no effect on the severity of self-reported MF. Additionally, this study could not provide evidence for a role of oxygenation of the PFC in the build-up of MF.
Topics: Humans; Prefrontal Cortex; Male; Adult; Young Adult; Female; Hypoxia; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; Mental Fatigue; Psychomotor Performance; Stroop Test; Oxygen; Heart Rate; Neuropsychological Tests
PubMed: 38839618
DOI: 10.1007/s00221-024-06867-y -
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of... Jul 2024The current study examined 98 participants' preferences for five pictorial stimuli. The researchers used a verbal multiple-stimulus-without-replacement (VMSWO)...
The current study examined 98 participants' preferences for five pictorial stimuli. The researchers used a verbal multiple-stimulus-without-replacement (VMSWO) preference assessment with each participant to identify high-preference and low-preference pictorial stimuli. Next, participants viewed each pictorial stimulus in a randomized order on a computer while using a hand dynamometer that measured the amount of force they exerted to increase or maintain the visual clarity of each image. The results indicate that over 75% of participants' force response ranks corresponded with participants' VMSWO high-preference stimuli, VMSWO low-preference stimuli, or both. The results of the current study provide further evidence for the use of conjugate schedules in the assessment of stimulus preference with potential for use as a reinforcer assessment. Implications along with directions for future research and limitations of the findings are discussed.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Choice Behavior; Young Adult; Reinforcement, Psychology; Adult; Photic Stimulation; Adolescent; Reinforcement Schedule; Psychomotor Performance
PubMed: 38837371
DOI: 10.1002/jeab.926 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2024The growth of certain human brain structures peaks at early ages, and complex motor interventions could positively facilitate this process. This study aims to offer an... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Motor development-focused exercise training enhances gross motor skills more effectively than ordinary physical activity in healthy preschool children: an updated meta-analysis.
PURPOSE
The growth of certain human brain structures peaks at early ages, and complex motor interventions could positively facilitate this process. This study aims to offer an updated meta-analysis regarding the effectiveness of motor development-focused exercise training on gross motor skills in preschool children.
METHODS
We searched English- and Chinese-language electronic databases as of March 2024. The main eligibility criteria were as follows: participants were healthy children aged 3 to 6 years old, and the experimental design was a randomized controlled trial, with the control arm participating in either free play or ordinary physical education curriculum. We conducted a Hartung-Knapp random-effects meta-analysis of the standardized mean difference for locomotor, object control, or gross motor quotient.
RESULTS
The search identified 23 eligible studies, of which approximately 75% were considered to have a low risk of bias. Compared with active control, exercise training showed a large to very large effect size. Cohen's d values were 1.13, 1.55, and 1.53 for locomotor, object control, and gross motor quotient, respectively. From a probabilistic viewpoint, these effect sizes correspond to events that are "very likely to occur" and "almost sure to occur." Due to variations in intervention programs, all outcome measures showed high heterogeneity.
CONCLUSION
This updated meta-analysis offers a realistic synthesis of the current evidence, leading to the conclusion that targeted motor skill exercise training can almost certainly enhance preschool children's gross motor skills. Practical implications are discussed regarding the refinement of the instructional framework and the dissemination of these findings in preschool settings.
Topics: Humans; Child, Preschool; Motor Skills; Exercise; Child; Child Development; Male; Female; Physical Education and Training; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 38835603
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1414152 -
Neuro-oncology Jun 2024Neurocognition can be severely affected in pediatric brain tumor survivors. We analyzed the association of cognitive functioning with radiotherapy dose, postoperative...
BACKGROUND
Neurocognition can be severely affected in pediatric brain tumor survivors. We analyzed the association of cognitive functioning with radiotherapy dose, postoperative cerebellar mutism syndrome (pCMS), hydrocephalus, intraventricular methotrexate (MTX) application, tumor localization and biology in pediatric survivors of a posterior fossa tumor.
METHODS
Subdomain-specific neurocognitive outcome data from 279 relapse-free survivors of the HIT-2000 trial (241 medulloblastoma and 38 infratentorial ependymoma) using the Neuropsychological Basic Diagnostic (NBD) tool based on Cattell-Horn-Carroll's model for intelligence were analyzed.
RESULTS
Cognitive performance 5.14 years (mean; range=1.52-13.02) after diagnosis was significantly below normal for all subtests. Processing speed and psychomotor abilities were most affected. Influencing factors were domain-specific: CSI-dose had strong impact on most subtests. pCMS was associated with psychomotor abilities (β=-0.25 to -0.16) and processing speed (β=-0.32). Postoperative hydrocephalus correlated with crystallized intelligence (β=-0.20) and short-term memory (β=-0.15), age with crystallized intelligence (β=0.15) and psychomotor abilities (β=-0.16 and β=-0.17). Scores for fluid intelligence (β=-0.23), short-term memory (β=-0.17) and visual processing (β=-0.25) declined, and scores for selective attention improved (β=0.29) with time after diagnosis.
CONCLUSION
Dose of CSI was strongly associated with neurocognitive outcome. Low psychomotor abilities and processing speed both in patients treated with and without CSI suggest a strong contribution of the tumor and its surgery on these functions. Future research therefore should analyze strategies to both reduce CSI-dose and toxicity caused by other treatment modalities.
PubMed: 38835160
DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noae092 -
PloS One 2024With the rapid development of intelligent connected vehicles, there is an increasing demand for hardware facilities and onboard systems of driver assistance systems....
With the rapid development of intelligent connected vehicles, there is an increasing demand for hardware facilities and onboard systems of driver assistance systems. Currently, most vehicles are constrained by the hardware resources of onboard systems, which mainly process single-task and single-sensor data. This poses a significant challenge in achieving complex panoramic driving perception technology. While the panoramic driving perception algorithm YOLOP has achieved outstanding performance in multi-task processing, it suffers from poor adaptability of feature map pooling operations and loss of details during downsampling. To address these issues, this paper proposes a panoramic driving perception fusion algorithm based on multi-task learning. The model training involves the introduction of different loss functions and a series of processing steps for lidar point cloud data. Subsequently, the perception information from lidar and vision sensors is fused to achieve synchronized processing of multi-task and multi-sensor data, thereby effectively improving the performance and reliability of the panoramic driving perception system. To evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm in multi-task processing, the BDD100K dataset is used. The results demonstrate that, compared to the YOLOP model, the multi-task learning network performs better in lane detection, drivable area detection, and vehicle detection tasks. Specifically, the lane detection accuracy improves by 11.6%, the mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) for drivable area detection increases by 2.1%, and the mean Average Precision at 50% IoU (mAP50) for vehicle detection improves by 3.7%.
Topics: Algorithms; Humans; Automobile Driving; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 38833435
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304691 -
Journal of Sports Sciences Apr 2024A key focus of sports science research is the identification of quantitative assessments that can predict players' on-field performance and developmental potential....
A key focus of sports science research is the identification of quantitative assessments that can predict players' on-field performance and developmental potential. Despite efforts to establish predictive models, there are few validated measures that show reliable associations and large gaps in understanding. Here, we test a multidimensional battery of assessments developed through the USA Baseball, Prospect Development Pipeline that capture strength and functional movement abilities, and anthropometric characteristics, in a two-year cohort of collegiate baseball players from the Appalachian League. Swing propensity metrics for Zone Contact Percentage (ZCP: proportion pitches in strike zone swung at and hit) and Hard-Hit Percentage (HHP: proportion in-play balls with exit velocity ≥ 95 mph) were calculated on 189 players. Models testing hierarchical combinations of anthropometric and anthropometric plus assessment data were implemented using nested cross-validation with random forest and elastic net regression. Results indicate that anthropometric features account for 29% of variance in ZCP and 50-55% of HHP, while the addition of assessment contributed an additional 1-3% to ZCP and 5-12% to HHP, with top predictors coming from PDP strength and power assessments. These findings delineate contributions of andromorphic and physical abilities to in-game baseball performance using a validated assessment battery and advanced game statistics.
Topics: Baseball; Humans; Athletic Performance; Anthropometry; Young Adult; Male; Muscle Strength; Adolescent; Motor Skills
PubMed: 38833336
DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2024.2363679 -
African Journal of Primary Health Care... May 2024Childhood is an important transitional period for the development of healthy physical activity (PA) behaviours, so it is important to understand its impact on a...
BACKGROUND
Childhood is an important transitional period for the development of healthy physical activity (PA) behaviours, so it is important to understand its impact on a healthy lifestyle.
AIM
This study aimed to determine the influences of sex, socioeconomic status (SES) and body composition (BC) on the relationships between PA, motor skills, motor- and health-related physical fitness in 5-8-year-olds.
SETTING
Participants were a subsample consisting of 299 children (150 boys, 149 girls, mean age 6.83 ± 0.96 years) from the Exercise, Arterial Modulation and Nutrition in Youth South Africa study (ExAMIN Youth SA).
METHODS
Anthropometric measures, health-related physical fitness (HRPF), motor-related physical fitness (MRPF), objectively measured PA and demographic information were determined.
RESULTS
Only 66% achieved the recommended 60 min of daily moderate vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with 19% classified as having unhealthy body composition (11% overweight, 8% obese). Fat-free mass and SES revealed small-to-moderate influences on the relationship between MVPA, standing broad jump (SBJ; r = 0.32), predicted VO2max (r = 0.28) and beep levels (r = 0.22). For MRPF, the quality of running (r = 0.12) and balancing were associated with MVPA. Adjusting for sex, BC and SES in the relationship between PA with HRPF and MRPF, reductions in most correlations were observed.
CONCLUSION
Moderate vigorous physical activity levels were positively associated with HRPF, MRPF and some motor skills in 5-8-year-olds. Socioeconomic status (lower parental income, employment and education negatively influenced the association between MVPA and fitness [beeps, SBJ, O2max]).Contribution: This study provides knowledge with regard to the use of accelerometer for baseline data for PA, MRPF, HRPF as well as motor skills in South African children.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Physical Fitness; Motor Skills; Child; South Africa; Exercise; Child, Preschool; Body Composition; Social Class; Sex Factors
PubMed: 38832375
DOI: 10.4102/phcfm.v16i1.4258 -
Accident; Analysis and Prevention Sep 2024Paramedics face various unconventional and secondary task demands while driving ambulances, leading to significant cognitive load, especially during lights-and-sirens...
Paramedics face various unconventional and secondary task demands while driving ambulances, leading to significant cognitive load, especially during lights-and-sirens responses. Previous research suggests that high cognitive load negatively affects driving performance, increasing the risk of accidents, particularly for inexperienced drivers. The current study investigated the impact of anticipatory treatment planning on cognitive load during emergency driving, as assessed through the use of a driving simulator. We recruited 28 non-paramedic participants to complete a simulated baseline drive with no task and a cognitive load manipulation using the 1-back task. We also recruited 18 paramedicine students who completed a drive while considering two cases they were travelling to: cardiac arrest and infant seizure, representing varying difficulty in required treatment. The results indicated that both cases imposed considerable cognitive load, as indicated by NASA Task Load Index responses, comparable to the 1-back task and significantly higher than driving with no load. These findings suggest that contemplating cases and treatment plans may impact the safety of novice paramedics driving ambulances for emergency response. Further research should explore the influence of experience and the presence of a second individual in the vehicle to generalise to broader emergency response driving contexts.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Automobile Driving; Adult; Cognition; Young Adult; Seizures; Computer Simulation; Allied Health Personnel; Ambulances; Infant; Emergency Treatment; Task Performance and Analysis; Paramedicine
PubMed: 38830295
DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2024.107646