TY - CONF

T1 - Neural correlates of motor performance in target sports: the model of movement-related alpha gating

AU - Gallicchio, Germano

AU - Cooke, Andrew

AU - Ring, Christopher

PY - 2019/7

Y1 - 2019/7

N2 - What determines optimal motor performance? Scientists have addressed this question through various approaches. One suchapproach involved the measurement of brain activity during performance of aiming motor tasks by using electroencephalography(EEG). This research field has produced compelling evidence that a particular type of brain activity involved with neuronalinhibition – oscillations within the alpha frequency (8-12 Hz) – is associated with successful motor performance (e.g. a holed puttin golf). Our programme of research evaluated the utility of examining EEG alpha activity from multiple brain regions whilerelatively inexperienced recreational golfers putted golf balls to a hole or a series of targets. Our findings revealed that motorexecution was accompanied by a regional pattern – alpha gating – whereby neuronal activation was diverted away frommovement-unrelated regions of the brain exhibiting enhanced alpha activity (temporal and occipital), and gated towardsmovement-related regions exhibiting diminished alpha activity (central). Greater inhibition of movement-unrelated regions wasassociated with greater movement accuracy and improved performance after skill practice, provided that an adequate level ofneuronal activation was maintained in movement-related regions. In addition, a disturbance to the alpha gating, induced byrandomly varying target location, resulted in impaired performance and greater perceived task difficulty. The main theoreticalcontribution of this research programme lies in the proposal of the movement-related alpha gating model of motor performancein target sports. These findings lay out the foundations for future applied work aimed at teaching athletes to self -regulate theirbrain activity to recreate the alpha gating pattern for optimal performance at will.

AB - What determines optimal motor performance? Scientists have addressed this question through various approaches. One suchapproach involved the measurement of brain activity during performance of aiming motor tasks by using electroencephalography(EEG). This research field has produced compelling evidence that a particular type of brain activity involved with neuronalinhibition – oscillations within the alpha frequency (8-12 Hz) – is associated with successful motor performance (e.g. a holed puttin golf). Our programme of research evaluated the utility of examining EEG alpha activity from multiple brain regions whilerelatively inexperienced recreational golfers putted golf balls to a hole or a series of targets. Our findings revealed that motorexecution was accompanied by a regional pattern – alpha gating – whereby neuronal activation was diverted away frommovement-unrelated regions of the brain exhibiting enhanced alpha activity (temporal and occipital), and gated towardsmovement-related regions exhibiting diminished alpha activity (central). Greater inhibition of movement-unrelated regions wasassociated with greater movement accuracy and improved performance after skill practice, provided that an adequate level ofneuronal activation was maintained in movement-related regions. In addition, a disturbance to the alpha gating, induced byrandomly varying target location, resulted in impaired performance and greater perceived task difficulty. The main theoreticalcontribution of this research programme lies in the proposal of the movement-related alpha gating model of motor performancein target sports. These findings lay out the foundations for future applied work aimed at teaching athletes to self -regulate theirbrain activity to recreate the alpha gating pattern for optimal performance at will.

M3 - Paper

T2 - 15th European Congress of Sport & Exercise Psychology

Y2 - 15 July 2019

ER -