Neuro-cognitive activity during a self-paced visuospatial task: comparative EEG profiles in marksmen and novice shooters

Abstract

Log-transformed EEG power spectral estimates (6–7, 9,10–11,18–22, and 36–44 Hz), obtained from skilled marksmen and novice shooters at sites F3, F4, C3, C4,T3, T4, P3, P4, O1, and O2 during the aiming period (6 s) of a target shooting task for each of 40 trials up to the moment of trigger pull, were contrasted to determine regional differences in cortical activation. The EEG power obtained from both groups during the preparatory aiming period was also compared to that observed for a similar time period during the processing of standard verbal and spatial tasks. The marksmen exhibited less activation than the novice shooters at all sites during the aiming period with a pronounced difference in the left central-temporal-parietal area. Fewer group differences in cortical activation were observed during the comparative verbal and spatial tasks with which the groups held equal experience. Additionally, the novice shooters exhibited a cortical activation pattern during target shooting that was similar to that observed during the processing of the comparative verbal and spatial tasks. In contrast, marksmen generally exhibited less cortical activation during the aiming period when contrasted to that during the novel comparative tasks. These results are consistent with the notion of relative economy in the cortical processes of marksmen, relative to controls, during the specific challenge with which they are highly practiced.