ECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH10
Background: Movement competence (MC) and executive function (EF) are thought to co-develop in childhood, in part because both draw on overlapping neurodevelopmental systems that support skill learning and goal-directed action [1]. However, much of the existing evidence has paired laboratory-based EF tasks with MC assessments that emphasize isolated skill execution, limiting ecological relevance [2]. This preliminary study examined the MC–EF association using an integrated multi-skill movement task alongside both objective and behaviour-based indicators of EF. Methods: Thirteen children aged 7–12 years (8 boys, 5 girls) completed a one-visit laboratory protocol. Movement competence was assessed using the Canadian Agility and Movement Skill Assessment (CAMSA), a time-constrained obstacle course evaluating integrated multi-skill movement. Executive function was assessed using computerized tasks targeting inhibitory control (Flanker), working memory (Corsi Backwards), and cognitive flexibility (Trail Making Test Part B). Parents completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF-2) as a behaviour-based indicator of everyday EF. Children completed the computerized EF tasks first, followed by the CAMSA. Pearson product–moment correlations examined associations between MC and EF measures. Results: Because higher CAMSA scores indicate better MC, whereas lower reaction time (RT) and BRIEF-2 scores indicate better EF, negative associations were expected between CAMSA and RT-based and behaviour-based EF outcomes. In contrast, higher Corsi Backwards span reflects better working memory performance; therefore, positive associations were expected between CAMSA and Corsi span. Consistent with these expectations, CAMSA Composite was negatively related to Flanker Incongruent RT (r = −0.61, p < .05), an association driven primarily by the Speed component (r = −0.72, p < .001). Small-to-moderate associations were also observed between CAMSA outcomes and BRIEF-2 ratings (e.g., rs = −0.10 to −0.55), though these relationships were not statistically significant in this small preliminary sample. Conclusion: In this small preliminary sample, movement competence assessed using an integrated multi-skill movement task (rather than isolated skill execution) showed a strong relationship with objective inhibitory control performance. The next step is to expand the project with a larger sample so that age and sex can be included in analytic models and their influence on the movement competence–executive function association can be tested. References [1] Ludyga & Herrmann, Psychol Sport Exerc, 2025 [2] Schaerz, Kinesiol Rev, 2025
Read CV Hallee PillingECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH10
Precision shooting demands exceptional psychological stability and neuromodulation capabilities. This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of Sensorimotor Rhythm (SMR) neurofeedback training (NFT) on the live-fire performance of elite rifle shooters and its underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. Fourteen active elite rifle shooters were recruited. A single 10-minute SMR (12~15 Hz) enhancement training session was conducted using the Nexus-10 system, with the central area (Cz) as the feedback site. Heart rate variability (HRV) was recorded throughout the experiment, brainwave dynamics were monitored during the training session, and 30 rounds of live-fire shooting performance were recorded using the SCATT system both before and after the intervention. Individual regulation trends were characterized by the slope of SMR amplitude changes, while the improvement in autonomic status and shooting performance was assessed by calculating change scores.The results showed that at the group level, SMR amplitude exhibited a marginally significant linear growth across the training process, though individual regulation trends demonstrated high heterogeneity. Correlation analysis revealed that the SMR regulation trend (slope) was significantly positively correlated with the degree of improvement in shooting performance and was accompanied by a significant inhibition of sympathetic activation (logLF). Group comparisons based on training responsiveness showed that "Responders"—those capable of up-regulating SMR—exhibited enhanced autonomic rhythmic coordination(significant increase in DFA alpha2) and lower sympathetic activation (logLF) post-training. In terms of motor performance, Responders showed significantly higher dwelling percentages within the 10.0 and 10.5 ring areas during the 1-second pre-shot window compared to "Non-Responders" . These findings confirm the immediate utility of SMR neurofeedback training in optimizing the stability of fine motor control. The study establishes the SMR amplitude slope as a core dynamic indicator for assessing neurofeedback sensitivity and reveals the intrinsic physiological pathway through which SMR regulation enhances competitive performance by improving "brain-heart" synergistic modulation and autonomic stability. This research not only deepens the understanding of individual differences in neurofeedback but also provides a scientific basis and empirical reference for developing individualized and precision-based psychological modulation protocols for elite athletes in precision sports.
Read CV yan anECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH10
Regular participation in organized sports club activities has been associated with emotional benefits in young adults, yet the neural correlates underlying these effects remain insufficiently understood. This study examined differences in emotional regulation and gray matter volume (GMV) between college students engaged in regular sports club activities and sedentary controls. Fifteen male college students (20.8 ± 2.1 years) who participated in sports club activities two to four times per week (approximately 1.5 hours per session) were recruited, along with fifteen age-matched sedentary controls (20.5 ± 1.9 years). All participants completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), followed by T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Whole-brain GMV was calculated, and regional GMV values were extracted for the amygdala, dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, and insula. Group differences were assessed using two-sample t-tests. Pearson correlation analyses were conducted to examine associations between regional GMV and emotional measures. Compared with controls, the sports club group showed significantly higher positive affect scores (p < 0.001) and lower negative affect scores (p = 0.009). Trait anxiety scores were also significantly lower in the sports group (p = 0.035), whereas no group difference was observed in state anxiety (p = 0.872). Structurally, the sports club group exhibited significantly larger GMV in the bilateral dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (left p = 0.007; right p = 0.044) and bilateral insula (left p = 0.041; right p = 0.008). Within the sports club group, trait anxiety scores were negatively correlated with the GMV of the left amygdala (r = -0.549, p = 0.034). These findings indicate that regular participation in sports club activities among college students is associated with more favorable emotional profiles and distinct structural characteristics in prefrontal, insular, and limbic regions. Such brain-emotion associations may reflect experience-related neural plasticity linked to long-term engagement in organized physical activity.
Read CV Jingjing JiECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH10