Cognitive Tasks Research Articles

Dynamics of brain wave rhythms predicts the speed of cognitive tasks

We investigated the physiological and behavioral characteristics of children aged 9—10 years during a neurophysiological experiment aimed at performing tasks based on the Sternberg paradigm. A statistical analysis of the stability of wave rhythms as well as a correlation analysis between them and the average reaction time was carried out, based on which a biomarker of the efficiency of the working memory task was found.

Exploring Nonlinear Dynamics In Brain Functionality Through Phase Portraits And Fuzzy Recurrence Plots.

Much of the complexity and diversity found in nature is driven by nonlinear phenomena, and this holds true for the brain. Nonlinear dynamics theory has been successfully utilized in explaining brain functions from a biophysics standpoint, and the field of statistical physics continues to make substantial progress in understanding brain connectivity and function. This study delves into complex brain functional connectivity using biophysical nonlinear dynamics approaches. We aim to uncover hidden information in high-dimensional and nonlinear neural signals, with the hope of providing a useful tool for analyzing information transitions in functionally complex networks. By utilizing phase portraits and fuzzy recurrence plots, we investigated the latent information in the functional connectivity of complex brain networks. Our numerical experiments, which include synthetic linear dynamics neural time series and a biophysically realistic neural mass model, showed that phase portraits and fuzzy recurrence plots are highly sensitive to changes in neural dynamics and can also be used to predict functional connectivity based on structural connectivity. Furthermore, the results showed that phase trajectories of neuronal activity encode low-dimensional dynamics, and the geometric properties of the limit-cycle attractor formed by the phase portraits can be used to explain the neurodynamics. Additionally, our results showed that the phase portrait and fuzzy recurrence plots can be used as functional connectivity descriptors, and both metrics were able to capture and explain nonlinear dynamics behavior during specific cognitive tasks. In conclusion, our findings suggest that phase portraits and fuzzy recurrence plots could be highly effective as functional connectivity descriptors, providing valuable insights into nonlinear dynamics in the brain.

People with HIV exhibit spectrally distinct patterns of rhythmic cortical activity serving cognitive flexibility

Despite effective antiretroviral therapy, cognitive impairment remains prevalent among people with HIV (PWH) and decrements in executive function are particularly prominent. One component of executive function is cognitive flexibility, which integrates a variety of executive functions to dynamically adapt one's behavior in response to changing contextual demands. Though substantial work has illuminated HIV-related aberrations in brain function, it remains unclear how the neural oscillatory dynamics serving cognitive flexibility are affected by HIV-related alterations in neural functioning. Herein, 149 participants (PWH: 74; seronegative controls: 75) between the ages of 29–76 years completed a perceptual feature matching task that probes cognitive flexibility during high-density magnetoencephalography (MEG). Neural responses were decomposed into the time-frequency domain and significant oscillatory responses in the theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (10–16 Hz), and gamma (74–98 Hz) spectral windows were imaged using a beamforming approach. Whole-brain voxel-wise comparisons were then conducted on these dynamic functional maps to identify HIV-related differences in the neural oscillatory dynamics supporting cognitive flexibility. Our findings indicated group differences in alpha oscillatory activity in the cingulo-opercular cortices, and differences in gamma activity were found in the cerebellum. Across all participants, alpha and gamma activity in these regions were associated with performance on the cognitive flexibility task. Further, PWH who had been treated with antiretroviral therapy for a longer duration and those with higher current CD4 counts had alpha responses that more closely resembled those of seronegative controls, suggesting that optimal clinical management of HIV infection is associated with preserved neural dynamics supporting cognitive flexibility.

Digital eye strain symptoms worsen during prolonged digital tasks, associated with a reduction in productivity

PurposeIt is often stated that digital eye strain can impact productivity and/or work accuracy, but the relationship between symptoms, productivity, and work accuracy has been unclear. Hence this study tracked the development of visuo-ocular symptoms during prolonged digital tasks and to explore the impact of higher and lower cognitive load levels on visuo-ocular symptoms, productivity, and work accuracy. MethodsThirty-five participants (23.2 ± 4.0 years) who had digital eye strain (diagnosed with the Computer Vision Syndrome Questionnaire) undertook an uninterrupted laptop adapted Eriksen Flanker task for 60 min on two separate days, once with a high cognitive load in randomised sequence. Symptoms were assessed at baseline and every 10 min throughout the task. ResultsAll visuo-ocular symptom scores significantly worsened (F = 87.783, p < 0.001) with time, with the symptom severity increasing faster with the higher cognitive load (F = 7.110, p < 0.001). The mean total number of tasks completed was greater for the lower (1060.8 ± 296.5) than the higher (532.2 ± 123.4) cognitive load tasks (F = 138.830, p < 0.001), reducing with time (F = 7.339, p < 0.001), but in a similar way for both cognitive loads (F = 1.795, p = 0.154). Task accuracy was not affected by the cognitive load of the task (F = 1.729, p = 0.197) and was consistent over time (F = 1.885, p = 0.135). ConclusionsSymptoms increased with task duration in individuals with digital eye strain, with a faster rate for more demanding tasks. This was associated with a decrease in the task completion rate (productivity), but not the work accuracy.

Design, Development, and Validation of a Military Orientated Re-configurable Cognitive Task Battery

The United Kingdom’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has developed an innovative military cognitive task battery tool titled: Interactive Measures of Performance and Assessment of Cognitive Tasks (IMPACT). The purpose of the tool is to support the objective assessment of cognitive task performance and task demand across a range of military system types, use cases and experimental settings. IMPACT consists of six, reconfigurable, generic military tasks, and an intuitive user interface for the experimenter to configure the tool and collect data. Initial validation of the IMPACT tool has been undertaken and a number of early adopters have used the tool to support trials, system development and experimentation. The validation results show that the six individual IMPACT tasks broadly stimulate the associated cognitive attributes; as mapped and originally conceived during the design and development of the tool; as measured by subjective assessment techniques, psychophysiological monitoring, and performance measures. IMPACT continues to be refined in response to feedback from the validation exercise and early adopters of the tool.

A hierarchical reinforcement learning model explains individual differences in attentional set shifting

Attentional set shifting refers to the ease with which the focus of attention is directed and switched. Cognitive tasks, such as the widely used CANTAB IED, reveal great variation in set shifting ability in the general population, with notable impairments in those with psychiatric diagnoses. The attentional and learning processes underlying this cognitive ability and how they lead to the observed variation remain unknown. To directly test this, we used a modelling approach on two independent large-scale online general-population samples performing CANTAB IED, with one including additional psychiatric symptom assessment. We found a hierarchical model that learnt both feature values and dimension attention best explained the data and that compulsive symptoms were associated with slower learning and higher attentional bias to the first relevant stimulus dimension. These data showcase a new methodology to analyse data from the CANTAB IED task, as well as suggest a possible mechanistic explanation for the variation in set shifting performance, and its relationship to compulsive symptoms.

The neural dynamics associated with computational complexity.

Many everyday tasks require people to solve computationally complex problems. However, little is known about the effects of computational hardness on the neural processes associated with solving such problems. Here, we draw on computational complexity theory to address this issue. We performed an experiment in which participants solved several instances of the 0-1 knapsack problem, a combinatorial optimization problem, while undergoing ultra-high field (7T) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Instances varied in computational hardness. We characterize a network of brain regions whose activation was correlated with computational complexity, including the anterior insula, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and the intra-parietal sulcus/angular gyrus. Activation and connectivity changed dynamically as a function of complexity, in line with theoretical computational requirements. Overall, our results suggest that computational complexity theory provides a suitable framework to study the effects of computational hardness on the neural processes associated with solving complex cognitive tasks.

Muscle endurance, neuromuscular fatigability, and cognitive control during prolonged dual-task in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a case–control study

Abstract Purpose Recent studies suggest that, compared to healthy individuals, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (pwCOPD) present a reduced capacity to perform cognitive-motor dual-task (CMDT). However, these studies were focused on short-duration CMDT offering limited insight to prolonged CMDT inducing fatigue, which can be encountered in daily life. The present study aimed to explore the effect of adding a cognitive task during repeated muscle contractions on muscle endurance, neuromuscular fatigability, and cognitive control in pwCOPD compared to healthy participants. Methods Thirteen pwCOPD and thirteen age- and sex-matched healthy participants performed submaximal isometric contractions of the knee extensors until exhaustion in two experimental sessions: (1) without cognitive task and (2) with a concurrent working memory task (i.e., 1-back task). Neuromuscular fatigability (as well as central and peripheral components measured by peripheral magnetic stimulation), cognitive performance, and perceived muscle fatigue were assessed throughout the fatiguing tasks. Results Independently to the experimental condition, pwCOPD exhibited lower muscle endurance compared to healthy participants (p = 0.039), mainly explained by earlier peripheral fatigue and faster attainment of higher perceived muscle fatigue (p &lt; 0.05). However, neither effect of cognitive task (p = 0.223) nor interaction effect (group × condition; p = 0.136) was revealed for muscle endurance. Interestingly, cognitive control was significantly reduced only in pwCOPD at the end of CMDT (p &lt; 0.015), suggesting greater difficulty for patients with dual tasking under fatigue. Conclusion These findings provide novel insights into how and why fatigue develops in COPD in dual-task context, offering a rationale for including such tasks in rehabilitation programs.

Changes in memory and cognition during the SARS-CoV-2 human challenge study

Patient-reported outcomes and cross-sectional evidence show an association between COVID-19 and persistent cognitive problems. The causal basis, longevity and domain specificity of this association is unclear due to population variability in baseline cognitive abilities, vulnerabilities, virus variants, vaccination status and treatment. Thirty-four young, healthy, seronegative volunteers were inoculated with Wildtype SARS-CoV-2 under prospectively controlled conditions. Volunteers completed daily physiological measurements and computerised cognitive tasks during quarantine and follow-up at 30, 90, 180, 270, and 360 days. Linear modelling examined differences between 'infected' and 'inoculated but uninfected' individuals. The main cognitive endpoint was the baseline corrected global cognitive composite score across the battery of tasks administered to the volunteers. Exploratory cognitive endpoints included baseline corrected scores from individual tasks. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with the identifier NCT04865237 and took place between March 2021 and July2022. Eighteen volunteers developed infection by qPCR criteria of sustained viral load, one without symptoms and the remainder with mild illness. Infected volunteers showed statistically lower baseline-corrected global composite cognitive scores than uninfected volunteers, both acutely and during follow up (mean difference over all time points=-0.8631, 95% CI=-1.3613,-0.3766) with significant main effect of group in repeated measures ANOVA (F (1,34)=7.58, p=0.009). Sensitivity analysis replicated this cross-group difference after controlling for community upper respiratory tract infection, task-learning, remdesivir treatment, baseline reference and model structure. Memory and executive function tasks showed the largest between-group differences. No volunteers reported persistent subjective cognitive symptoms. These results support larger cross sectional findings indicating that mild Wildtype SARS-CoV-2 infection can be followed by small changes in cognition and memory that persist for at least a year. The mechanistic basis and clinical implications of these small changes remain unclear. This study was funded through the UK Vaccine Taskforce of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) of Her Majesty's Government. WT was funded by the EPSRC through the CDT for Neurotechnology Imperial College London.

Correlation Between Swallowing and Cognitive Brain Networks in Older Adults via Functional MRI.

Clinical evidence supports that swallowing function is correlated with cognition, but the neurobiological mechanism associated with cognitive impairment and dysphagia remains unclear. To compare the brain activation patterns of the swallowing and the cognitive tasks and explore neural associations between swallowing and cognitive function via task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A total of 13 healthy older adults (aged > 60 years) were recruited. Participants underwent the clinical dementia rating (CDR) test and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). A block-designed task-related fMRI study was conducted where each participant completed both swallowing and cognitive tasks within a single session. During the swallowing task, participants swallowed 2 mL of thickened water, while the Stroop Colour Word Test (SCWT) served as the cognitive task. First-level analysis of swallowing time-series images utilised the general linear model (GLM) with Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM), applying a voxel threshold of p < 0.001 for significance. Common activations in brain regions during swallowing and cognitive tasks were extracted at the group level, with significance set at p < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons using the false discovery rate (FDR), with a minimum cluster size of 20 voxels. Correlation analysis between behavioural measurements and imaging signals was also conducted. Some regions were commonly activated in both task networks; these regions were the bilateral occipital lobe, cerebellum, lingual gyrus, fusiform, middle frontal gyrus, precentral and postcentral gyrus, right supramarginal and inferior parietal lobe. Most importantly, the average beta value of cognitive and swallowing tasks in these areas are both significantly negative related to the MoCA score. Furthermore, opposite signal changes were seen in the bilateral prefrontal lobes during the swallowing task, while positive activation in the bilateral prefrontal lobes was observed during the SCWT. Postcentral gyrus activation was more extensive than precentral gyrus activation in the swallowing task. The common activation of swallowing and cognitive tasks had multiple foci. The activity of cognitive and swallowing task in these areas is significantly negative correlated with the MoCA score. These findings may help to illustrate the association between dysphagia and cognitive impairment due to the common brain regions involved in cognition and swallowing and may provide a reference for further rehabilitation of dysphagia. Clinical Trial: (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry): ChiCTR1900021795.

Effect of task difficulty on dual-task cost during dual-task walking in people with multiple sclerosis

BackgroundCognitive-motor dual-task walking results a decrease in walking performance of patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and it is known as dual-task cost (DTC). However, there is a lack of evidence about the effects of dual-tasks with hierarchical difficulty on DTC in PwMS. Research questionThis study aimed to investigate the effect of task difficulty on DTC during cognitive-motor dual-task walking in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Methods32 PwMS and 32 healthy controls were included. The 6-meter walking test (6-Meter WT) with comfortable speed was used as single-task walking condition. For dual-task conditions, walking tasks and cognitive tasks at two difficulty levels (simple and difficult) were combined and DTC for four cognitive-motor dual-task walking conditions as simple motor-simple cognitive (SM-SC), simple motor-difficult cognitive (SM-DC), difficult motor-simple cognitive (DM-SC) and difficult motor-difficult cognitive (DM-DC) were calculated. The 6-Meter WT was used also for simple dual-task walking task. The 6-Meter WT was applied by walking in a narrow base condition for creating a difficult dual-task walking task. For cognitive task difficulty, participants were asked to count backwards by 3 as simple cognitive task and by 7 as difficult cognitive task. ResultsDTC was higher in PwMS than control subjects. DTC in all conditions were different (SM-SC<SM-DC<DM-SC<DM-DC). DTC was higher in PwMS than control subjects in three conditions and was similar SM-SC condition. In addition, DTC in all conditions (SM-SC<SM-DC<DM-SC<DM-DC) were different in both PwMS and control subjects. ConclusionThe results suggest that task difficulty affects the magnitude of DTC during cognitive-motor dual-task walking in PwMS. Moreover, difficult walking tasks combined with simple cognitive tasks result greater DCT on walking than simple walking tasks combined with difficult cognitive tasks.

Supplemental Material for Variance (Un)Explained: Experimental Conditions and Temporal Dependencies Explain Similarly Small Proportions of Reaction Time Variability in Linear Models of Perceptual and Cognitive Tasks

Supplemental Material for Variance (Un)Explained: Experimental Conditions and Temporal Dependencies Explain Similarly Small Proportions of Reaction Time Variability in Linear Models of Perceptual and Cognitive Tasks

Examining flight time, cognitive reflection, workload, stress and metacognition on decision making performance for pilots during flight simulation

Despite technological advancements, human decision errors still contribute to civil aviation accidents. This study investigated whether flight time, cognitive reflection, task-load, metacognition, and perceived stress predicted decision-making (DM) performance during two in-flight training simulations with 104 commercial pilots at Bogota International Airport. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the predictors accounted for 56% of the variance. Cognitive reflection, flight time and performance task load emerged as significant positive predictors. Cognitive reflection significantly moderated the relationship between flight time and DM performance, with pilots scoring lower on cognitive reflection showing improved DM with increased flight time, while controlling for performance task load. The study did not find significant relationships between stress metacognition and DM performance. The study emphasises the significance of advanced training methods in improving pilots’ DM, especially for those with low cognitive reflection. Future research should expand to multiple airlines, address gender balance, and incorporate direct measures of metacognitive monitoring.

QSM-detected iron accumulation in the cerebellar gray matter is selectively associated with executive dysfunction in non-demented ALS patients.

This study aimed to assess whether quantitative susceptibility imaging (QSM)-based measures of iron accumulation in the cerebellum predict cognitive and behavioral features in non-demented amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. A total of ALS patients underwent 3-T MRI and a clinical assessment using the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) and the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS). Regression models were applied to each subscale of the cognitive section of the ECAS and the ECAS-Carer Interview to examine the effect of QSM-based measures in white and gray matter (WM; GM) of the cerebellum, separately for right, left, and bilateral cerebellar regions of interest (ROIs). These effects were compared to those of cerebellar volumetrics in WM/GM, right and left hemispheres while controlling for demographics, disease status, and total intracranial volume. Higher QSM measures of the cerebellar GM on the left, right, and bilateral sides significantly predicted (ps ≤ 0.003) a greater number of errors on the executive functioning (EF) subscale of the ECAS (ECAS-EF). Moreover, higher GM-related, QSM measures of the cerebellum were associated with an increased probability of a below-cut-off performance on the ECAS-EF (ps ≤ 0.024). No significant effects were observed for QSM measures of the cerebellar WM or for volumetric measures on the ECAS-EF. Other ECAS measures showed no significant effects. Bilateral QSM measures of the cerebellar GM also selectively predicted performance on backward digit span and social cognition tasks. Iron accumulation within the cerebellar GM, particularly in the cerebellar cortices, may be associated with executive functioning deficits in non-demented ALS patients. Therefore, QSM-based measures could be useful for identifying the neural correlates of extra-motor cognitive deficits in ALS patients.

From task-general towards task-specific cognitive operations in a few minutes? Working memory performance as an adaptive process.

Measurement of cognitive functions is typically based on the implicit assumption that the mental architecture underlying cognitive task performance is constant throughout the task. In contrast, skill learning theory implies that cognitively demanding task performance is an adaptive process that progresses from initial heavy engagement of effortful and task-general metacognitive and executive control processes towards more automatic and task-specific performance. However, this hypothesis is rarely applied to the short time spans of traditional cognitive tasks such as working memory (WM) tasks. We utilised longitudinal structural equation models on two well-powered data sets to test the hypothesis that the initial stages of WM task performances load heavily on a task-general g-factor and then start to diverge towards factors specific to task structure. In line with the hypothesis, data from the first experiment (N = 296) were successfully fitted in a model with task-initial unity of the WM paradigm-specific latent factors, after which their intercorrelations started to diverge. The second experiment (N = 201) replicated this pattern except for one paradigm-specific latent factor. These preliminary results suggest that the processes underlying WM task performance tend to progress rapidly from more task-general towards task-specific, in line with the cognitive skill learning framework. Such task-internal dynamics has important implications for the measurement of complex cognitive functions.

Cognitive State Classification Using Convolutional Neural Networks on Gamma-Band EEG Signals

This study introduces a novel methodology for classifying cognitive states using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) on electroencephalography (EEG) data of 41 students, aimed at streamlining the traditionally labor-intensive analysis procedures utilized in EEGLAB. Concentrating on the 30–40 Hz frequency range within the gamma band, we developed a CNN model to analyze EEG signals recorded from the inferior parietal lobule during various cognitive tasks. The model demonstrated substantial efficacy, achieving an accuracy of 91.42%, precision of 71.41%, and recall of 72.51%, effectively distinguishing between high and low gamma activity states. This performance surpasses traditional machine learning methods for EEG analysis, such as support vector machines and random forests, which typically achieve accuracies between 70–85% for similar tasks. Our approach offers significant time savings over manual EEGLAB methods. The integration of event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) analysis with a novel CNN architecture enables capture of both fine-grained and broad spectral EEG features, advancing the field of computational neuroscience. This research has implications for brain-computer interfaces, clinical diagnostics, and cognitive monitoring, offering a more efficient and accurate alternative to current EEG analysis methods.

Puzzle feeder as a cognitive enrichment strategy determines long-term welfare improvements in a teleost fish

Providing access to cognitive tasks, such as puzzle feeders, holds promise as enrichment strategy to enhance the welfare of captive animals. Despite the substantial number of teleost fish in captivity, the effects of cognitive enrichments in this group remain relatively unexplored. To address this gap in knowledge, we investigated the response of zebrafish to a puzzle feeder. In the first experiment of this study, zebrafish were presented with the option of a puzzle feeder or freely available food. While the subjects exhibited a preference for the latter option, they demonstrated some interest in the puzzle feeder, continuing to use it even though there was easily accessible food nearby. In a subsequent experiment, zebrafish groups were maintained in either a cognitive enrichment condition, where food was consistently provided through puzzle feeders, or a control condition with no cognitive enrichments. Welfare effects of the treatments were then assessed using standard behavioural indicators in the open-field test (i.e., time spent in the centre of the apparatus; number of entrances in the central sector; swim velocity; erratic swimming). Results unveiled an improvement in three welfare indicators due to cognitive enrichment, becoming apparent approximately 20 days after the treatment. Our study underscores the significance of puzzle feeders as cognitive enrichments in captive fish welfare, although consideration of other welfare indicators and different types of puzzles that elicit a more pronounced attraction is required.

Improving Executive Function and Dual-Task Cost in Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Dual-task walking is challenging for people with Parkinson disease (PD). Gait performance worsens while executing dual tasks, possibly due to a decline in executive function (EF). This study aimed to investigate the effects of dual-task training on EF and dual-task cost (DTC) in people with PD and to explore whether training-induced changes in EF were associated with changes in DTC. This study was a randomized controlled trial. A total of 28 people with PD participated. Participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (dual-task training) and the control group (treadmill training). Both groups received a total of 16 training sessions during the 8weeks. Assessments were conducted at baseline and postintervention. Primary outcomes included EF and dual-task cost. Significant time-by-group interactions were found in executive function and DTC. The experimental group showed significant improvement in frontal assessment battery (FAB), trail-making test (TMT) part A, Stroop color and word test (SCWT), and DTC on speed in cognitive dual-task walking. There was a moderate to high correlation between the change values of the FAB, TMT part A, SCWT, and the change values of DTC in cognitive dual-task walking. Compared to treadmill training, dual-task training resulted in greater improvements in EF and DTC. Training-induced changes in EF were linked to changes in DTC when walking while performing a cognitive task but not when walking while performing a motor task. For more insights from the authors Supplemental Digital Content available at http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A485.

Does Parkinson's disease affect verb production in picture descriptions?

Research on Parkinson's disease (PD) has documented significant deficits in verb production, with more robust results in single word retrieval tasks than in connected speech, yet the underlying causes of these deficits are disputable, especially concerning connected speech production. We analyzed picture descriptions provided by 48 individuals with PD and 48 age-matched healthy controls, and examined the percent of nouns and verbs of all words, the number of described events, verbs denoting activity, verbs in active morpho-syntactic patterns, and transitive verbs. Individuals with PD produced a lower percent of verbs than did control participants, but the groups differed in no other variable. Scores on a cognitive screening task associated with the percent of verbs and the number of events. We suggest that verb retrieval in connected speech in PD reflects no specific difficulty with action semantics, but rather the spread of PD pathology into more diffuse verb-specific neural networks.

Integration of cognitive-motor dual-task training in physical sessions of highly-skilled basketball players

ABSTRACT We investigated the effects of a cognitive-motor dual-task training (CMDT) integrated into a physical training circuit. Specific tests on sprint, agility, and cognitive processes associated with anticipatory event-related potential (ERP) components and behavioural performance during a cognitive discrimination response task (DRT) were evaluated before and after the intervention. Thirty skilled basketball players were recruited and divided into an experimental group executing the “physical CMDT” and a control group performing standard physical training. The CMDT session was performed by four athletes simultaneously who executed different circuits. One circuit was the CMDT, implemented with interactive devices thus engaging strong motor control, preparedness, and quick decision-making during task performance. Results on physical performance showed that only the experimental group improved in completion time on sprint (5.83%) and agility (3.55%) tests. At the brain level, we found that in the DRT the motor anticipation increased by over 50%, and the response time became 10% faster. Instead, regarding cognitive preparation, both protocols were equally effective and response accuracy parallelly increased in the post-test. In conclusion, the proposed “physical CMDT” integrated into a group session, can improve sprint and agility and the neural correlate of this effect is the increase of motor preparation in the premotor cortex in only five weeks.