Abstract
In athletics, motor performance is determined by different abilities such as technique, endurance, strength and speed. Based on animal studies, motor speed is thought to be encoded in the basal ganglia, sensorimotor cortex and the cerebellum. The question arises whether there is a unique structural feature in the human brain, which allows “power athletes” to perform a simple foot movement significantly faster than “endurance athletes”. We acquired structural and functional brain imaging data from 32 track-and-field athletes. The study comprised of 16 “power athletes” requiring high speed foot movements (sprinters, jumpers, throwers) and 16 endurance athletes (distance runners) which in contrast do not require as high speed foot movements. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to identify speed specific regions of interest in the brain during fast and slow foot movements. Anatomical MRI scans were performed to assess structural grey matter volume differences between athletes groups (voxel based morphometry). We tested maximum movement velocity of plantarflexion (PF-Vmax) and acquired electromyographical activity of the lateral and medial gastrocnemius muscle. Behaviourally, a significant difference between the two groups of athletes was noted in PF-Vmax and fMRI indicates that fast plantarflexions are accompanied by increased activity in the cerebellar anterior lobe. The same region indicates increased grey matter volume for the power athletes compared to the endurance counterparts. Our results suggest that speed-specific neuro-functional and -structural differences exist between power and endurance athletes in the peripheral and central nervous system.
Highlights
Up to date Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has successfully been used to identify the function and structure of the human brain in dependence of motor learning and level of skills [1]
The question arises in which brain regions these discharge patterns are generated and whether there is a unique structural feature that enables the corresponding firing frequencies, and in return provides the ability for power athletes to excel and execute on a very high level
In line with our prediction, interindividual differences observed in PF-vmax were found in similar ranges of motion during foot movements (Figure 1)
Summary
Up to date Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has successfully been used to identify the function and structure of the human brain in dependence of motor learning and level of skills [1]. Little is known about the influence of physical abilities like endurance or speed on functional and structural brain alterations in the field of sport. It is known that for achieving extraordinary speed and power a relatively high discharge rate of motoneurons is necessary to activate as many fast-twitch-fibres (FT-fibres) as possible [2,3], which in turn are beneficial in producing rapid movements [4,5]. The question arises in which brain regions these discharge patterns are generated and whether there is a unique structural feature that enables the corresponding firing frequencies, and in return provides the ability for power athletes to excel and execute on a very high level. It could be shown that patients with cerebellar lesions are not able to generate fast arm speeds compared to healthy controls [13]
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