Faster visual reaction times in elite athletes are not linked to better gaze stability
Autor: | Andrew J. Scally, Alice G. Cruickshank, Julie M. Harris, Simon J. Bennett, John G. Buckley, Jonathan Charles Flavell, Brendan T. Barrett |
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Přispěvatelé: | BBSRC, University of St Andrews. School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews. Institute of Behavioural and Neural Sciences |
Jazyk: | angličtina |
Rok vydání: | 2020 |
Předmět: |
0301 basic medicine
Male medicine.medical_specialty BF Psychology genetic structures Oculomotor system BF lcsh:Medicine Fixation Ocular Stimulus (physiology) Audiology Group comparison Article RC1200 03 medical and health sciences Ocular physiology Young Adult 0302 clinical medicine Human behaviour medicine Reaction Time Saccades Humans Elite athletes lcsh:Science Vision Ocular Multidisciplinary Blinking lcsh:R DAS Gaze 030104 developmental biology Athletes lcsh:Q Sensory processing Female Visual system Psychology human activities 030217 neurology & neurosurgery |
Zdroj: | Scientific Reports Scientific Reports, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-9 (2020) |
ISSN: | 2045-2322 |
Popis: | This study was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (BBSRC, grant references: BB/J018163/1, BB/J016365/1 and BB/J018872/1). The issue of whether visually-mediated, simple reaction time (VRT) is faster in elite athletes is contentious. Here, we examined if and how VRT is affected by gaze stability in groups of international cricketers (16 females, 28 males), professional rugby-league players (21 males), and non-sporting controls (20 females, 30 males). VRT was recorded via a button-press response to the sudden appearance of a stimulus (circular target—diameter 0.8°), that was presented centrally, or 7.5° to the left or right of fixation. The incidence and timing of saccades and blinks occurring from 450 ms before stimulus onset to 225 ms after onset were measured to quantify gaze stability. Our results show that (1) cricketers have faster VRT than controls; (2) blinks and, in particular, saccades are associated with slower VRT regardless of the level of sporting ability; (3) elite female cricketers had steadier gaze (fewer saccades and blinks) compared to female controls; (4) when we accounted for the presence of blinks and saccades, our group comparisons of VRT were virtually unchanged. The stability of gaze is not a factor that explains the difference between elite and control groups in VRT. Thus we conclude that better gaze stability cannot explain faster VRT in elite sports players. Publisher PDF |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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