Individual Features in the Typology of the Nervous System and the Brain Activity Dynamics of Freestyle Wrestlers Exposed to a Strong Physical Activity (A Pilot Study).

Irina Polikanova,Liudmila Liutsko,Sergey Leonov,Aleksey Isaev

doi:10.3390/bs10040079

Abstract

Nowadays, knowledge of psychophysiological features, particularly on the nervous system’s characteristics, is essential in the sporting context, particularly for freestyle wrestling. The study aimed to investigate the peculiarities of the wrestlers’ nervous system—on the individual and electrophysiological levels in two functional states—in calm wakefulness and during intense physical fatigue. Psychological (Well-being, Activity, Mood; Spielberger–Hanin; Leonhard’s questionnaires), as well as electrophysiological techniques (dynamics of the dominant and average frequencies of the main electroencephalogram (EEG) spectra—theta, alpha, low and high-frequency beta rhythms), were used in the study. It was shown that athletes were mainly characterized by the hyperthymic type of character accentuation and a low frequency of theta rhythm in a calm wakefulness state. After the acute physical load, wrestlers with high hyperthymia showed a moderate increase in theta, whereas other athletes showed a decrease in this parameter. Regardless of the level of hyperthymic accentuation, all wrestlers were characterized by an increase in the frequency of alpha rhythm after exercises in the left hemisphere. These results suggest the existence of a particular functional system in freestyle wrestlers, which allows the body’s regulatory systems to be adapted for the effective implementation of sports activity.

Highlights

The physical nature of fatigue is complex
Our study of physical fatigue in freestyle wrestlers showed that a strong physical exertion affects the dynamics of a number of psychological and psychophysiological parameters
Physical fatigue was reflected in a significant decrease in the dominant and average frequency of theta rhythm in the right hemisphere after intense physical exertion, as well as in a significant increase in the alpha rhythm in the left hemisphere

Summary

Introduction

The physical nature of fatigue is complex. Numerous facts indicate that the main process leading to the occurrence of fatigue is the gradual suppression of the activity of the central nervous system and the development of inhibition. Fatigue leads to depletion of the internal resources of the body, and this forces it to switch to less effective ways of functioning, which affects the work of various body systems. This can be manifested in an increase in heart rate, as well as in a decrease in the strength and speed of muscle contractions, dis-coordination in the work of regulatory systems, difficulties in developing and inhibiting conditioned reflexes. It is important to note that it can manifest itself at the central and peripheral levels. Central fatigue is associated with a decrease in activation in the primary motor areas of the cerebral

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