Abstract
Previous literature on shooting performance neurofeedback training (SP-NFT) to enhance performance usually focused on changes in behavioral indicators, but research on the physiological features of SP-NFT is lacking. To explore the effects of SP-NFT on trainability and neuroplasticity, we conducted a study in which 45 healthy participants were randomly divided into three groups: based on sensory-motor rhythm of C3, Cz and C4 (SMR group), based on alpha rhythm of T3 and T4 (Alpha group), and no NFT (control group). The training was performed for six sessions for 3 weeks. Before and after the SP-NFT, we evaluated changes in shooting performance and resting electroencephalography (EEG) frequency power, participant’s subjective task appraisal, neurofeedback trainability score, and EEG feature. Statistical analysis showed that the shooting performance of the participants in the SMR group improved significantly, the participants in the Alpha group decreased, and that of participants in the control group have no change. Meanwhile, the resting EEG power features of the two NFT groups changed specifically after training. The training process data showed that the training difficulty was significantly lower in the SMR group than in the Alpha group. Both NFT groups could improve the neurofeedback trainability scores and change the feedback features by means of their mind strategy. These results may provide evidence of trainability and neuroplasticity for SP-NFT, suggesting that the SP-NFT is effective in brain regulation and thus provide a potential method to improve shooting performance.
Highlights
Shooting is a simple motor behavior that can be affected by mental states such as attention and emotion
Trainability and neuroplasticity effects of SMR and alpha shooting performance neurofeedback training (SP-neurofeedback training (NFT)), 45 participants were recruited into the experiment, and 30 participants trained with SP-NFT during six sessions in 3 weeks, respectively
Through the analysis of the experimental results, the following main conclusions were obtained: (1) By comparing the results before and after SP-NFT, we showed that the shooting performance of the SMR group after SP-NFT was significantly higher than that before SP-NFT, while the shooting performance of the Alpha group after SP-NFT was lower than that before SP-NFT
Summary
Shooting is a simple motor behavior that can be affected by mental states such as attention and emotion. During the preparation process, a steady increase of theta rhythm (4–7 Hz) power at the frontal midline is shown in shooting experts rather than novice shooters (Doppelmayr et al, 2008), and the event-related desynchronization (ERD) and event-related coherence (ERCoh) of alpha rhythm in shooting experts is significantly less than that of novice shooters (Del Percio et al, 2009, 2011). A decrease in alpha power of the occipital region is reported during successful trials compared to fail shooting trials (Loze et al, 2001). These results suggest that shooting performance is closely related to the shooter’s brain activity during shooting preparation
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