January 2021
in
International Journal of eSports Research
To compare the visual tracking performance of professional as well as amateur eSport players and traditional sportsmen using NeuroTracker.
19 professional players, 22 amateur players and 18 traditional sportsmen completed 3 NeuroTracker sessions. The first session was completed in 2D (non-stereo), and sessions 2 and 3 were completed in 3D (stereo). Experience and playtime data was also collected for analysis.
Professional players spent significantly more time playing esports than amateurs. Pearson correlations revealed positive associations between hours of esport / week and NeuroTracker scores. Mean session score averages across each session consistently found esport professional to have the highest NeuroTracker performance, following by traditional sportsmen. Analysis of prior NeuroTracker research showed that session scores for all three groups were higher than the scores of the normal population.
NeuroTracker baselines are significantly more accurate at detecting mTBI status 48-hours post-injury and RTP readiness than traditional assessments.
To investigate if the major need for more effective concussion assessment tools in sports can by be addressed by NeuroTracker, and to compare any differences with traditionally used assessments.
59 professional athletes were tested with NeuroTracker (3 Core sessions), the Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC), and the Modified Balance Error Scoring System (M-BESS) tests, each at 48 hours following a concussion injury. The tests were repeated at return-to-play (RTP) status following a standard concussion management protocol. The majority of athletes were classed with severe concussions, as determined by an expert neurologist. Additionally, normative NeuroTracker data for healthy elite athletes was used for analytical reference, along with pre-season baselines on SAC and M-BESS tests for 32 out of the 59 of the injured athletes.
Multiple statistical analyses of the tests revealed the following. Compared to health athletes, the learning function within the 48 hours of concussion was totally disrupted for the injured athletes. NeuroTracker scores at 48 hours were significantly lower than normal, and correlated to the total number of symptoms reported. NeuroTracker scores for the RTP evaluations revealed a significant improvement in NeuroTracker scores (though still below healthy athlete levels). In comparison the SAC and M-BESS tests’ usefulness for monitoring concussion was found to be weak, with limited or negligible correlation to pre-season baselines, as corroborated in other studies. For the first time, this study demonstrates the unique role of NeuroTracker to monitor sport-related concussion, addressing some of the requirements needed to appropriately respond to real-world sport-specific demands.
To compare performance and muscle architecture changes in starters and nonstarters during a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women's soccer season.
28 females (av. 20 years old) were assessed on NeuroTracker baselines, vertical jump power, repeated line drills and reaction time at preseason, midseason, and postseason. Muscle architecture changes using ultrasonography were assessed at preseason and postseason.
Both starters and non-starters showed similar status or improvements on all assessments across the season, except for line drills performance, which showed greater improvements for starters. NeuroTracker and reaction time performance improved regardless of playtime. Results of muscle architecture analysis indicated that practice training alone provide sufficient stimulus for improving muscle quality during the competitive season. Overall starters did not display significant benefits from competition over athletes who performed training only.
NeuroTracker baseline reveal stroboscopic vision training does not improve perceptual-cognitive skills, but may aid anticipation skills.
To analyze the repeated effect of stroboscopic vision training on perceptual-cognitive and anticipation skills in soccer players.
28 male soccer players randomized into two groups: Stroboscopic vision training and control groups. The trained group completed 8-weeks of stroboscopic training. Pre post assessments were completed for both groups, which included NeuroTracker baselines and assessments decision-making and anticipation skills.
Both groups improved by similar amounts in NeuroTracker baselines and decision-making. However the trained group showed a larger improvement in anticipation skill than the control group. The findings suggest that stroboscopic vision training does not improve perceptual-cognitive functions or decision-making, but may aid anticipation skills in soccer athletes.
To examine the effects of 14-days ATP supplementation (adenosine 5′-triphosphate) on NeuroTracker visual tracking speed, reaction time, mood and cognition in a double-blind crossover study.
22 adults were randomized to either an active PeakATP® group or a placebo control group and supplemented for 14-days. They then tested on 3 minutes of maximum intensity cycling. Pre, immediately post, and 60-minutes post, all participants completed a NeuroTracker baseline, a visuomotor reaction test (Dynavision D2), a Profile of Mood States Questionnaire and a cognition assessment (ANAM). After another 14 days of no supplementation, the active and control groups were then reversed and the whole procedure was repeated.
NeuroTracker results improved on the second testing procedure, however average differences between active and control groups were negligible. No significant interactions were found on the other assessments, apart from reaction time performance, which improved meaningfully with post ATP supplementation. The results suggest ATP may help decrease fatigue related effects from intense bouts of exercise, but not higher-level cognitive functions.
NeuroTracker and neuropsychological assessments reveal cognitive functions relate to sprinting and jumping abilities in elite soccer players.
To investigate the relationship of executive functions and physical abilities in youth and adult elite soccer players.
172 elite soccer players (12–34 years of age) were assessed on NeuroTracker, working memory capacity, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition. Another series of tests measured endurance-performance, repeated intense exercises, and maximal anaerobic performance.
NeuroTracker results correlated meaningfully with 30M sprint ability and counter-movement jumps. Moderate correlations were found between working memory capacity and cognitive flexibility with sprint performance and jumping ability, and inhibition with repeated intense exercises. Overall the findings indicated that anaerobic sprinting and jumping are more closely linked to cognitive skills than other physical abilities.
NeuroTracker learning rates and neuropsychological assessments reveal that professional action video gamers possess superior attentional capacities.
To assess the extent to which action video game players perform better than non-gamers on cognitive functions measured by NeuroTracker and neuropsychological assessments.
14 professional and 16 amateur action video game players completed a battery of 7 standardized neuropsychological assessments, a manual dexterity test, and 14 NeuroTracker sessions. Statistical analysis techniques were used to compare cognitive differences.
Analysis revealed that high performance in professional action video games players is associated with enhanced abilities in visual spatial attention, visual and auditory short-term memory, and selective and sustained attention. No significant differences between professionals and amateurs were evident on tasks evaluating executive functions, perceptual manipulation, or manual dexterity. Although both groups displayed a similar learning capacity to improve at NeuroTracker over 90-mins of training, professionals exhibited a distinct performance advantage throughout the intervention. The results overall suggest that elite action video gamers have superior attentional control.
NeuroTrackerX is a cognitive training program designed to assess and improve mental performance.
