QEEG markers of superior shooting performance in skilled marksmen: An investigation of cortical activity on psychomotor efficiency hypothesis

Ming-Yang Cheng; Kuo-Pin Wang; Michael Doppelmayr; Fabian Steinberg; Tsung-Min Hung; Calvin Lu; Ying Ying Tan; Bradley Hatfield

doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102320

QEEG markers of superior shooting performance in skilled marksmen: An investigation of cortical activity on psychomotor efficiency hypothesis

Psychol Sport Exerc. 2023 Mar:65:102320. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102320. Epub 2022 Oct 17.

Authors

Ming-Yang Cheng¹, Kuo-Pin Wang², Michael Doppelmayr³, Fabian Steinberg⁴, Tsung-Min Hung⁵, Calvin Lu⁶, Ying Ying Tan⁷, Bradley Hatfield⁸

Affiliations

¹ School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, No. 48 Xinxi Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100084, China.
² Center for Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC), Bielefeld University, Inspiration 1, 33619, Bielefeld, Germany; Neurocognition and Action - Biomechanics Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
³ Institute of Sports Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Albert Schweitzerstr. 22, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
⁴ School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, 112 Long Field house, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA; Institute of Sports Science, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Albert Schweitzerstr. 22, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
⁵ Department of Physical Education & Sport Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, No.162, Sec. 1, Heping E. Rd., Da an Dist., Taipei, 106, Taiwan; Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Science, National Taiwan Normal University, No.162, Sec. 1, Heping E. Rd., Da an Dist., Taipei, 106, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland at College Park 4200 Valley Dr, College Park, MD, 20742, USA; University of Maryland. Department of Veterans Affairs, War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC), Washington, DC, 20422, USA.
⁷ Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland at College Park 4200 Valley Dr, College Park, MD, 20742, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences Program, University of Maryland at College Park 4090 Union Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA. Electronic address: ying2@umd.edu.
⁸ Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland at College Park 4200 Valley Dr, College Park, MD, 20742, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences Program, University of Maryland at College Park 4090 Union Drive, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.

PMID: 37665825
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102320

Abstract

For elite performers, psychomotor behavior's success or failure can be traced to differences in brain dynamics. The psychomotor efficiency hypothesis suggests refined cortical activity through 1) selective activation of task-relevant processes and 2) inhibition of non-essential processes. The use of electroencephalography (EEG) has been applied to investigate psychomotor performance's neural processes. The EEG markers that reflect an elevation of psychomotor efficiency include left temporal alpha (T3 alpha), frontal midline theta (Fm theta), sensorimotor rhythm (SMR), and the coherence between frontal and left temporal regions. However, the relationship between elite performers' task-relevant and non-essential neural processes is still not well understood. Therefore, this study aimed to explore how each task-relevant and inhibition of non-essential processes contribute to superior psychomotor behavior. Thirty-five highly skilled marksmen were recruited to perform 30 shots in the shooting task while the EEG was recorded. The marksmen were divided into two groups (superior & inferior) based on a median split of shooting performance. The superior group exhibited higher accuracy and precision, with a reduction in movement jerk. EEG measures revealed that the superior group exhibited higher SMR before the trigger pull than the inferior group. In addition, the superior group demonstrated reduced Fz-T3 coherence in their bull's eye shots than the missed shots. These results suggest that the superior group exhibited less effortful engagement of task-relevant processes and lower interference from non-essential cortical regions than the inferior group. The study's overall findings support the psychomotor efficiency hypothesis. When comparing highly skilled performers, the slight differences in brain dynamics ultimately contribute to the success or failure of psychomotor performance.

Keywords: athlete; neural processes; neurofeedback; sensorimotor rhythm; sport performance.

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain*
Electroencephalography
Gastropoda*
Inhibition, Psychological
Movement