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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that influences an individual's cognitive functions and social interaction. While most studies have focused on children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD, elevated levels of autistic traits in subclinical populations may also influence individuals' daily functioning. Autistic traits are also linked to the Big Five personality. In particular, neuroticism (emotion instability) has been shown to be positively associated with autistic traits, which may contribute to behavioral symptoms of autistic traits. The present study aimed to investigate the association between autistic symptoms and sensorimotor processing among a subclinical population. One hundred young adults (Mage = 20.32 years; SD = 3.69 years; 69 female) completed a choice reaction time (RT) task, and their behavioral performance was analyzed using the ex-Gaussian modeling. The Autism Quotient (AQ) and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) were used to assess autistic traits and neuroticism, respectively. The mediation analysis was conducted to examine the behavioral mechanism through which autistic traits influence sensorimotor processing. The results showed that the AQ score was negatively correlated with RT and positively correlated with neuroticism score. Importantly, the mediation analysis indicated an indirect effect, suggesting that neuroticism mediates the association between the AQ score and RT. The findings indicated a possible mechanism of the association between autistic traits and sensorimotor responses and suggested that neuroticism should be included as an intervention target for ASD. The present study contributes to the research on autistic traits and has practical implications for future intervention programs to improve daily functioning among individuals with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that influences an individual’s cognitive functions and social interaction. While most studies have focused on children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD, elevated levels of autistic traits in subclinical populations may also influence individuals’ daily functioning. Autistic traits are also linked to the Big Five personality. In particular, neuroticism (emotion instability) has been shown to be positively associated with autistic traits, which may contribute to behavioral symptoms of autistic traits. The present study aimed to investigate the association between autistic symptoms and sensorimotor processing among a subclinical population. One hundred young adults (Mage = 20.32 years; SD = 3.69 years; 69 female) completed a choice reaction time (RT) task, and their behavioral performance was analyzed using the ex-Gaussian modeling. The Autism Quotient (AQ) and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) were used to assess autistic traits and neuroticism, respectively. The mediation analysis was conducted to examine the behavioral mechanism through which autistic traits influence sensorimotor processing. The results showed that the AQ score was negatively correlated with RT and positively correlated with neuroticism score. Importantly, the mediation analysis indicated an indirect effect, suggesting that neuroticism mediates the association between the AQ score and RT. The findings indicated a possible mechanism of the association between autistic traits and sensorimotor responses and suggested that neuroticism should be included as an intervention target for ASD. The present study contributes to the research on autistic traits and has practical implications for future intervention programs to improve daily functioning among individuals with ASD.

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of practicing sports activities on manual skills, focused on reaction time depending on manual laterality. The objectives of the study were to identify the differences in improving simple, optional, and cognitive reaction times in the manual executions of student athletes who practice team sports involving the manual handling of the ball (volleyball, basketball, handball) in comparison with student athletes who practice individual sports and with non-athletic students; to identify the differences regarding the reaction time of the right- and left-handed executions depending on the manual lateralization of the subjects (right- and left-handedness) between the three experimental samples: team sports group (TSG), individual sports group (ISG), and the group of non-athletes (NAG) through the use of computer tests. The study included 335 subjects who were divided into three groups: TSG with 102 subjects, ISG with 112 subjects, and NAG with 121 subjects. The subjects of the study were given five computer tests to evaluate three types of reaction time: simple reaction time (Start/Stop Test), choice reaction time (Check Boxes Test, Hit-the-dot Test), and time of cognitive reaction (Trail making Test part A and B). The results were analyzed regarding right- and left-handedness, as well as the execution hand (right hand or left hand) in solving the tests. The results of the study highlighted significant statistical differences between the three groups: TSG, ISG, and NAG. The best results were recorded by TSG in all tests, and the lowest by NAG. Statistically significant differences were also recorded between the executions with the dominant hand compared to the executions with the non-dominant hand in relation to right- and left-handedness. The study highlighted that the smallest differences in all the study groups were recorded in the simple reaction time test, where the differences between the right-handed and left-handed executions were the lowest, reflecting the best level of symmetrization of the motor executions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the absolute and relative reliability of the Ruler Drop Test (RDT) for assessing dual-task, choice, and discrimination reaction time. In addition, the construct validity of the RDT is examined in comparison to the Deary-Liewald reaction time (DLRT). Methods: Tests were administered by the same evaluator, one week apart. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC3.1) was used to measure relative reliability, and the standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC95) were used to measure absolute reliability. Spearman correlation test was used to measure construct validity. Results: The results showed that the relative reliability was good for the choice ruler drop (ICC = 0.81), moderate for the dual-task ruler drop test (ICC = 0.70) and discrimination ruler drop test (ICC = 0.72), and good for simple ruler drop test. However, the simple ruler drop test had poor reliability (ICC = 0.57). The RDT shows construct validity compared to the DLRT. Conclusion: We conclude that the RDT is a suitable instrument for measuring dual-task, choice and discrimination reaction time. Future studies should explore the reliability of these measures in other populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The duration, accuracy, and consistency of responses to various types of stimuli are widely accepted as indirect indicators of the efficiency of brain information processing, but current clinical tests appear to lack sufficient sensitivity to detect subtle impairments. Immersive virtual reality (VR) offers a new means to acquire measures of perceptual-motor responses to moving visual stimuli that require rapid conflict resolution, but their test-retest reliability has not yet been demonstrated. Repeated measures. We analyzed data from 19 healthy young adults who performed a 40-trial VR test on three consecutive days. We focused on response time (RT) and perceptual latency (PL) for eye, neck, arm, and whole-body step displacements involved in executing a reaching/lunging movement in a right or left direction toward a peripherally located virtual target. Measures of RT and PL included a 40-trial mean, an intra-individual variability (IIV) value, and a rate correct score (RCS) that incorporated both response duration and accuracy. Most mean and IIV values for PL and RT demonstrated a positive distributional skew that was substantially reduced by natural logarithm transformation. While a learning effect was evident between sessions 1 and 2 for 7 of 8 mean PL and RT measures, 3-session intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values were moderate to excellent for 15 of 16 transformed PL and RT measures (range:.618 to.922). The composite RCS metric did not require transformation for either PL or RT, whose respective 3-session ICC values were.877 and.851. This moderate to excellent test-retest reliability for various VR measures of perceptual-motor function, combined with evidence of their validity from both past and future research, suggest that these measures can advance clinical detection of impaired brain processing and longitudinal assessments of potentially modifiable performance deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionA history of concussion is recognized as a risk factor for musculoskeletal injury, which is likely associated with physiological effects that warrant better understanding. This study aimed to assess the potential of measurements obtained from an immersive virtual reality (VR) test to identify a subtle perceptual–motor impairment that may be prospectively associated with the occurrence of a core or lower extremity sprain or strain.MethodsA cohort of 68 high school athletes (41 female soccer players and 27 male football players) provided survey responses and completed an immersive VR test several days prior to the initiation of preseason practice sessions. Measurements of eye, neck, arm, and whole-body displacements were obtained during 40 successive lunging/reaching responses to visual stimuli moving horizontally across the VR headset display. Injury occurrences were electronically documented from the initial preseason practice session to the final game of the season.ResultsA statistically significant and intrinsically credible two-factor prediction model for core or lower extremity injury occurrence included an interaction between female sex and a self-reported history of two or more concussions, along with slow response time (RT) for arm reach (OR = 4.67; 95% CI, 1.51–14.43). Follow-up analyses identified sex-specific cut points for arm reach RT associated with elevated injury risk, which were ≥1.385 s for females and ≥1.257 s for males.DiscussionHigh school female soccer players who have sustained more than one concussion appear to be highly vulnerable to core or lower extremity sprain or strain, with the risk of injury compounded by a slow arm reach RT. Male football players as a group demonstrated significantly faster arm reach RT than that of female soccer players, but slow perceptual–motor RT for arm reach was also identified as a potentially important injury risk factor for male players. Immersive VR appears to provide precise measurements of behavioral performance characteristics that depend on brain processing efficiency. Given that the speed, accuracy, and consistency of perceptual–motor responses may be modifiable, future research should explore the potential benefits of VR training for reducing the risk of sport-related injuries.

The main purpose of the study was to identify the level of improvement in cognitive flexibility manifested by choice and cognition reaction times in relation to manual and podal skills as a result of the implementation of a program of therapeutic exergame exercises, for a time interval of 6 weeks at the level of students. 511 students participated in the crosssectional study, of which 279 male (54.6%) and 232 female (45.4%), divided into two groups: the experimental group 266 (521%) subjects and the control group 245 (48%) subjects. The implementation of the experimental program comprising of 8 physical therapeutic exergames took place for 6 weeks, in one session per week, within the physical education lessons, only for the male and female experimental groups. In the initial and final testing session, 2 standardized tests were applied: TMT part A, B and 2 tests adapted for this study: Square Test and 25 Squares Test. The progress registered by the male and female experimental groups was statistically significant. In all tests, the experimental groups showed higher progress compared to the control groups. Depending on the gender differences, it was found that the male experimental and control groups made better progress compared to the female groups in the following tests: TMT part A, Square Test, 25 Squares Tests. The implementation of a physical therapeutic exergame program determined the improvement of cognitive flexibility manifested by choice and cognitive reaction times in conditions of manual and podal motor skills, demonstrating the effectiveness of exergame technologies adapted and implemented for prophylactic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: to conduct a comparative analysis of psychomotor abilities in athletes of cyclic sports (short track), martial arts (karate, taekwondo) and esports (CS:GO). Materials, participants and methods: The study involved athletes of percussion martial arts (n=10, age 18,9±0,12, candidates for master of sports), elite players of semi-professional CS:GO teams (n=10, age 19,2±0,50), short track speed skaters (n=10, age 19±0,09, masters of sports). The choice reaction time, the frequency of local movements (60-second tapping test), and the reaction time to a change in the size of the object (Size-test) were determined. Research results. Esports athletes have the best reaction time of choice and tapping test compared to other athletes. The wrestlers showed the best reaction to distinguishing the size of an object in the Size-Test. Skaters have high rates of complex reaction time and frequency of movements. The duration of the tapping test has a likely inverse relationship with the frequency of tapping. Conclusions. It was found that esports athletes have a significantly better choice reaction time (p0.05). The results of the tapping test in terms of the total number of movements and the average number for 5 s in esports athletes tend to be higher compared to short track speed skaters and martial arts athletes. The fastest response time to a change in the size of an object in the Size-test was shown by martial arts athletes, the slowest by short-track skaters. This reflects the trend towards better results of this type of reaction in martial arts athletes compared to short track speed skaters and esports athletes.

Adequate evaluation of the situation and timely reaction are crucial for the performance in sports such as boxing. There are few studies on the visual motor reaction time of boxers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the visual motor reaction time of boxers during a complex dynamic cognitive task, depending on their sport experience. This study included 20 male boxers, all right-handed. They were divided into two groups according to their boxing experience: 1-3 years (mean age of 21.2 ± 5.45 years) and more than 5 years (mean age of 24.4 ± 6.92 years). The boxers did not have any significant differences in their anthropometric measurements. They were instructed to press as fast as possible buttons that were flashing red or green in random order and position with their dominant and non-dominant hand, depending on the color of the button. Hits were analyzed as "jab" (forward) or "cross" (diagonal) according to the arm movement required to reach the button. The visual motor reaction times of the group with more than 5 years of experience were shorter than those of the other group. The "jab" hits were faster than the "cross" ones in both groups. Sport experience had greater effect on the "jab" reaction times than on the "cross" ones. In both groups of boxers, the visual motor reaction times with the dominant hand were shorter than those with the non-dominant hand. Owing to the specific training of boxers, their automatic reaction abilities during a task-specific cognitive load increase more prominently for the "jab" hits. Despite sport experience, the effects of hand laterality on the visual motor reaction times are preserved. Greater experience in boxing significantly shortens the overall response time and leads to specific differences in the motor response of the performing arm depending on the stimulus/target position. The developed methodology is suitable for assessing the progress and selection of athletes as well as for developing better training programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imagery is a cognitive process widely used for learning and performance of motor skills (Morris et al., 2005). In this study, we investigated Internal (IP) and External Imagery Perspectives (EP) and actual copying of movement to deepen understanding of the character of imagery perspectives. Research on IP and EP shows that the superiority of one perspective in terms of performance enhancement is still equivocal. Further research is required to understand the character of IP and EP, and to establish how they affect learning and performance of motor skills. We applied a Stimulus-Response (S-R) compatibility protocol to a finger-movement, choice-reaction time (CRT) task to differentiate response latencies for actual copying of the movement, and IP and EP of the movement, after watching internal and external stimulus videos of the CRT button-pressing task. We used paired t-tests to analyse the differences in decision time and movement time for external and internal stimulus videos, in the physical copying of the movement condition. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences in response times for movement, IP, and EP imagery conditions for internal and external video stimuli. Results showed that the response times in both imagery perspective conditions were significantly slower than response times in the physical movement condition. It was further revealed that response times were faster for the internal view than the external view for the movement and IP conditions, whereas EP latencies were faster for external than internal video stimuli. We concluded that the S-R compatibility protocol can be used to confirm use of IP and EP, which is questionable in studies where participants are simply instructed to use IP or EP, and it is assumed they follow instructions, or even when they are asked to confirm use of IP or EP at the end of studies.

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of practicing sports activities on manual skills, focused on reaction time depending on manual laterality. The objectives of the study were to identify the differences in improving simple, optional, and cognitive reaction times in the manual executions of student athletes who practice team sports involving the manual handling of the ball (volleyball, basketball, handball) in comparison with student athletes who practice individual sports and with non-athletic students; to identify the differences regarding the reaction time of the right- and left-handed executions depending on the manual lateralization of the subjects (right- and left-handedness) between the three experimental samples: team sports group (TSG), individual sports group (ISG), and the group of non-athletes (NAG) through the use of computer tests. The study included 335 subjects who were divided into three groups: TSG with 102 subjects, ISG with 112 subjects, and NAG with 121 subjects. The subjects of the study were given five computer tests to evaluate three types of reaction time: simple reaction time (Start/Stop Test), choice reaction time (Check Boxes Test, Hit-the-dot Test), and time of cognitive reaction (Trail making Test part A and B). The results were analyzed regarding right- and left-handedness, as well as the execution hand (right hand or left hand) in solving the tests. The results of the study highlighted significant statistical differences between the three groups: TSG, ISG, and NAG. The best results were recorded by TSG in all tests, and the lowest by NAG. Statistically significant differences were also recorded between the executions with the dominant hand compared to the executions with the non-dominant hand in relation to right- and left-handedness. The study highlighted that the smallest differences in all the study groups were recorded in the simple reaction time test, where the differences between the right-handed and left-handed executions were the lowest, reflecting the best level of symmetrization of the motor executions.

Purpose: to conduct a comparative analysis of psychomotor abilities in athletes of cyclic sports (short track), martial arts (karate, taekwondo) and esports (CS:GO). Materials, participants and methods: The study involved athletes of percussion martial arts (n=10, age 18,9±0,12, candidates for master of sports), elite players of semi-professional CS:GO teams (n=10, age 19,2±0,50), short track speed skaters (n=10, age 19±0,09, masters of sports). The choice reaction time, the frequency of local movements (60-second tapping test), and the reaction time to a change in the size of the object (Size-test) were determined. Research results. Esports athletes have the best reaction time of choice and tapping test compared to other athletes. The wrestlers showed the best reaction to distinguishing the size of an object in the Size-Test. Skaters have high rates of complex reaction time and frequency of movements. The duration of the tapping test has a likely inverse relationship with the frequency of tapping. Conclusions. It was found that esports athletes have a significantly better choice reaction time (p<0,05) than martial arts athletes. The results of short track skaters do not have significant differences with martial arts and esports athletes (p>0.05). The results of the tapping test in terms of the total number of movements and the average number for 5 s in esports athletes tend to be higher compared to short track speed skaters and martial arts athletes. The fastest response time to a change in the size of an object in the Size-test was shown by martial arts athletes, the slowest by short-track skaters. This reflects the trend towards better results of this type of reaction in martial arts athletes compared to short track speed skaters and esports athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the study was to identify the level of improvement in cognitive flexi-bility manifested by choice and cognition reaction times in relation to manual and podal skills as a result of the implementation of a program of therapeutic exergame exercises, for a time interval of 6 weeks at the level of students. 511 students participated in the cross-sectional study, of which 279 male (54.6%) and 232 female (45.4%), divided into two groups: the experimental group 266 (521%) subjects and the control group 245 (48%) sub-jects. The implementation of the experimental program comprising of 8 physical thera-peutic exergames took place for 6 weeks, in one session per week, within the physical edu-cation lessons, only for the male and female experimental groups. In the initial and final testing session, 2 standardized tests were applied: TMT part A, B and 2 tests adapted for this study: Square Test and 25 Squares Test. The progress registered by the male and fe-male experimental groups was statistically significant. In all tests, the experimental groups showed higher progress compared to the control groups. Depending on the gender differences, it was found that the male experimental and control groups made better pro-gress compared to the female groups in the following tests: TMT part A, Square Test, 25 Squares Tests. The implementation of a physical therapeutic exergame program deter-mined the improvement of cognitive flexibility man-ifested by choice and cognitive reac-tion times in conditions of manual and podal motor skills, demonstrating the effective-ness of exergame technologies adapted and implemented for prophy-lactic purposes

Introduction: Reaction time is the central indicator of the central nervous system's sensorimotor coordination and processing skills, as well as coordinated peripheral movement response. There is a substantial positive link between body mass index (BMI) and reaction time. However, no studies on the impact of old and novel adiposity indices on cognitive capacity measurement have been done. As a result, this study was carried out to see if there was a link between visceral adiposity index (VAI) and lipid accumulation product (LAP) and reaction time in healthy Uttarakhand residents. Materials and Methods: The observational study was conducted in 2018 from January to June at AIIMS, Rishikesh to screen 89 individuals aged 20–40 years, who were in good health and lived in adjacent areas to examine reaction time simple reaction time (SRT) and choice reaction time [CRT]) and its relationship with adiposity indices. The Deary-Liewald reaction time task (software) was used to examine the participants' reaction time, which was followed by anthropometric measurements and other biochemical tests. Results: Among 89 individuals, 61% were male and 39% were female. In terms of age, BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio, and response time, there was no significant difference between males and females. However, males had a faster reaction time than females. VAI is substantially higher in females than in males. Females have more LAP than males, although the difference is not statistically significant. Conclusion: LAP had a substantially better association than BMI and WC in the case of females with respect to the association with CRT because LAP includes both anthropometric WC and lipid parameters (triglycerides). In healthy people, LAP could be recommended as a superior indicator for assessing response time as a measure of cognitive ability.

Background: In the last decades different preclinical animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been generated, aiming to mimic the progressive neuronal loss of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) cells as well as motor and non-motor impairment. Among all the available models, AAV-based models of human alpha-synuclein (h-aSYN) overexpression are promising tools for investigation of disease progression and therapeutic interventions. Objectives: The goal with this work was to characterise the impairment in motor and non-motor domains following nigrostriatal overexpression of h-aSYN and correlate the behavioural deficits with histological assessment of associated pathology. Methods: Intranigral injection of an AAV9 expressing h-aSYN was compared with untreated animals, 6-OHDA and AAV9 expressing either no transgene or GFP. The animals were assessed on a series of simple and complex behavioural tasks probing motor and non-motor domains. Post-mortem neuropathology was analysed using immunohistochemical methods. Results: Overexpression of h-aSYN led to progressive degeneration of DA neurons of the SN and axonal terminals in the striatum (STR). We observed extensive nigral and striatal pathology, resembling that of human PD brain, as well as the development of stable progressive deficit in simple motor tasks and in non-motor domains such as deficits in motivation and lateralised neglect. Conclusions: In the present work we characterized a rat model of PD that closely resembles human PD pathology at the histological and behavioural level. The correlation of cell loss with behavioural performance enables the selection of rats which can be used in neuroprotective or neurorestorative therapies.

We investigated the effects of mental fatigue (MF) on affective responses during an aerobic exercise session at moderate intensity. We submitted 12 insufficiently active adults (50% women; M age = 24.9 years, SD = 3.0; M BMI = 24.3 kg/m2; SD = 2.6) to two 30-minute pre-exercise conditions: an MF condition (Stroop Color-Word task) and a control condition (watching a documentary) prior to their performance of 20 minutes of aerobic treadmill exercise at 40–59% of heart rate reserve. The minimum washout interval between conditions was two days. Perceived MF and motivation to perform physical exercise were assessed before and after conditions with a visual analog scale of 100 mm. We assessed participants' affective and exertion responses with the Feeling Scale, Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and heart rate during every two minutes of physical exercise. Implicit attitudes toward physical exercise were assessed by the Implicit Association Test before the MF and control conditions and after the physical exercise session. The participants in the MF condition reported lower pleasure (M difference = −1.57, 95% CI = −2.64 to −0.50, d = 0.93, p =.008) and higher exertion (RPE) (M difference = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.04 to 2.27, d = 0.66, p =.043) compared to those in the control condition. Participants who experienced MF also reported a more negative implicit attitude toward physical exercise than in the control condition (β = −0.47, 95% CI= −0.73 to −0.21, d = 1.41, p <.001). While these findings should be cross-validated in subsequent research with a larger and more diverse participant sample, there appears to be value in minimizing pre-exercise mental fatigue to avoid negative MF effects on the exercisers' affective experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working memory (WM) serves not just for remembering facts ("declarative WM") but also for controlling action and thought ("procedural WM", pWM) by holding and manipulating task rules and task control parameters such as goals. Yet, the structure of individual differences in pWM is underexplored. The present work compared between two highly similar (in the number of stimulus response rules, stimuli, responses, and scoring method) pWM challenges: Rule WM (rWM) - loading WM with novel arbitrary stimulus response rules, and Task switching between familiar rules. A series of confirmatory bi-factor models fitted to results from two separate highly variable samples (N = 544, 520) support the existence of a common (to Switching and rWM) ability as well as the distinction between rWM and Switching. Latent regression models in which correlated latent variables of Switching, Speed and rWM predicted Reasoning and Anti-saccade performance indicate a different pattern of variance sharing for switching and rWM: Specific rWM and the rWM-Speed variance overlap predicted Reasoning, whereas specific Switch did not. Switch was predictive of Anti-saccade and Reasoning only through its overlap with the rWM (for Reasoning) and with both Speed and rWM (for both outcomes). Together, these results support the conclusion that the ability to meet a switching challenge and the ability to meet a challenge of having many rules to remember (rWM) constitute partly separable sources of individual differences. • Procedural Working Memory (pWM) guides action and thought. • pWM can be challenged by adding novel stimulus-response rules (rWM) vs. task switching. • The two procedurally similar challenges were associated with partly separable sources of individual differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Visual choice reaction time can be measured in reaching, which is an important task to investigate after stroke owing to its high clinical importance in activities of daily living. The study aim was to evaluate the visual choice reaction time during reaching tasks in the ipsilateral and contralateral spaces before and after a single training session of choice reaction time in patients after a mild stroke. Methods. The cross-sectional study involved 7 individuals after a mild stroke. The visual choice reaction time was evaluated during reaching in the affected and unaffected sides in the ipsilateral and contralateral spaces. All individuals trained the choice reaction time during a functional reaching task in a single session. In the training, 6 circles were used in a randomized sequence in 5 blocks, with 10 stimuli per block, for a total of 50 repetitions. Results. There was a significant reduction in the choice reaction time for the unaffected side in the ipsilateral space after training (p = 0.041). The other task conditions did not show a statistical difference, but a clinical relevance based on Cohen's d (d > 0.60). Conclusions. A single training session can decrease the choice reaction time for the affected side during tasks in the ipsilateral space after a mild stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying pedophilic sexual interest among persons who have sexually offended against children (PSOCs) is important for risk assessment because not all PSOCs are pedophilic. Existing physiological and self-report methods have several limitations. In the present study, sexual interest was assessed indirectly by means of a computer task: the Choice Reaction Time (CRT) task in 49 extrafamilial PSOCs and 25 persons without a history of sexual offences against children (control group). The results showed that PSOCs, the participants with a DSM-IV diagnosis of pedophilia or with a high score on pedophilic interest (measured by the SSPI-2) performed equally fast in the different age category stimuli. In other words, no effect of sexual orientation towards children was found. The control group however, showed longer reaction times for the adult and adolescent stimuli compared to the child stimuli, indicative that they did not have a sexual orientation towards children. The present study found only partial evidence for the validity of the CRT paradigm, as it was effective in discriminating age orientation in the control group but not in the group of PSOCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown the novelty of lexical-tone chimeras (artificially constructed speech sounds created by combining normal speech sounds of a given language) to native speakers of the language from which the chimera components were drawn. However, the source of such novelty remains unclear. Our goal in this study was to separate the effects of chimeric tonal novelty in Mandarin speech from the effects of auditory signal manipulations. We recruited 20 native speakers of Mandarin and constructed two sets of lexical-tone chimeras by interchanging the envelopes and fine structures of both a falling/yi4/and a rising/yi2/Mandarin tone through 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 16, 32, and 64 auditory filter banks. We conducted pitch-perception ability tasks via a two-alternative, forced-choice paradigm to produce behavioral (versus physiological) pitch perception data. We also obtained electroencephalographic measurements through the scalp-recorded frequency-following response (FFR). Analyses of variances and post hoc Greenhouse-Geisser procedures revealed that the differences observed in the participants' reaction times and FFR measurements were attributable primarily to chimeric novelty rather than signal manipulation effects. These findings can be useful in assessing neuroplasticity and developing speech-processing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of selected programs (including agility, speed, visual and auditory stimulation, mirror training, etc.) on the simple and choice response reaction time of children with developmental coordination disorder. Materials and Methods: In this research, a semi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test design was used for two groups of experimental and control children (DCD). A sample of 30 children (DCD) was selected using random sampling method. A pre-test was performed for both groups, and the speed of visual response, visual choice and auditory simplicity of the groups was measured by a four-way reaction speed measuring instrument. The experimental group was then tested for 12 session by selected exercises. The posttest was performed for both groups of children. The statistical methods included Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and Covariance test. The results showed that the exercises for 8 weeks significantly improved the visual response rate (P = 0/001, t = -4/30), visual selectivity (p = 0/006, t =- 3/34), simple listening (P =0/.001, t =-5 /19) in the training group compared to the pretest. The results show that there is a significant correlation between the speeds of the children's response to the children (DCD), which is practiced.

It has been argued that age-related changes in the neurochemical and neurophysiological properties of the GABAergic system may underlie increases in reaction time (RT) in older adults. However, the role of GABA levels within the sensorimotor cortices (SMC) in mediating interhemispheric interactions (IHi) during the processing stage of a fast motor response, as well as how both properties explain interindividual differences in RT, are not yet fully understood.In this study, edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was combined with dual-site transcranial magnetic stimulation (dsTMS) for probing GABA+ levels in bilateral SMC and task-related neurophysiological modulations in corticospinal excitability (CSE), and primary motor cortex (M1)-M1 and dorsal premotor cortex (PMd)-M1 IHi, respectively. Both CSE and IHi were assessed during the preparatory and premotor period of a delayed choice RT task. Data were collected from 25 young (aged 18–33 years) and 28 older (aged 60–74 years) healthy adults.Our results demonstrated that older as compared to younger adults exhibited a reduced bilateral CSE suppression, as well as a reduced magnitude of long latency M1-M1 and PMd-M1 disinhibition during the preparatory period, irrespective of the direction of the IHi. Importantly, in older adults, the GABA+ levels in bilateral SMC partially accounted for task-related neurophysiological modulations as well as individual differences in RT. In contrast, in young adults, neither task-related neurophysiological modulations, nor individual differences in RT were associated with SMC GABA+ levels.In conclusion, this study contributes to a comprehensive initial understanding of how age-related differences in neurochemical properties and neurophysiological processes are related to increases in RT.

Simple reaction time (SRT) and choice reaction time (CRT) have been shown to be good indicators for quantitatively assessing the level of human cognitive impairment, but these parameters have also been linked to the risk of human death. This study aimed to quantitatively assess the independent predictive value of SRT or CRT for all-cause mortality or cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality by conducting a meta-analysis of prospective studies. The study design of this study is a prospective cohort study. We conducted a meta-analysis by combining hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of SRT or CRT with all-cause mortality or CVD mortality in healthy community residents aged 18 and over. Heterogeneity was evaluated by using Q statistics and Cochrane's I2 statistics. A total of seven prospective studies that examined all-cause mortality and CVD mortality were included. The pooled HR of all-cause mortality in SRT was 1.099 (1.065–1.134, I2 = 11.9%), and an increased risk of CVD mortality was associated with lower SRT (HR = 1.186, 95% CI = 1.137–1.236; I2 = 52.4%). Similarly, the pooled HR of all-cause mortality in CRT was 1.140 (95% CI = 1.085–1.197, I2 = 33.7%). However, lower CRT was not statistically associated with an increased risk of CVD mortality. SRT may be a predictor of all-cause-mortality and CVD mortality, and CRT is significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquiring expertise in a task is often thought of as an automatic process that follows inevitably with practice according to the log‐log law (aka: power law) of learning. However, as Ericsson, Chase, and Faloon (1980) showed, this is not true for digit‐span experts and, as we show, it is certainly not true for Tetris players at any level of expertise. Although some people may simply "twitch" faster than others, the limit to Tetris expertise is not raw keypress time but the techniques acquired by players that allow them to use the tools provided by the hardware and software to compensate for the game's relentlessly increasing drop speed. Unfortunately, these increases in drop speed between Tetris levels make performance plateaus very short and quickly followed by game death. Hence, a player's success at discovering, exploring, and practicing new techniques for the tasks of board preparation, board maintenance, optimal placement discovery, zoid rotation, lateral movement of zoids, and other tasks important to expertise in Tetris is limited. In this paper, we analyze data collected from 492 Tetris players to reveal the challenges they confronted while constructing expertise via the discovery of new techniques for gameplay at increasingly difficult levels of Tetris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to identify whether team-wide or positional differences exist in simple or choice reactivity of collegiate soccer athletes when completed under various loads. Much research exists surrounding the assessment of reaction time in the general population, but given variations in training, little insight exists surrounding how unique and elite populations may differ based upon performance demands and task translatability to training. Reactive performance was assessed using the Dynavision D2 in 24 female soccer players (19.73 ± 1.05 years old) from a team within a power five conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Evaluated loads included two conditions of simple reactivity (no additional load and with a concurrent lower body motor task) and three conditions of choice reactivity (no additional load, with a concurrent lower body motor task, and prolonged durations). Paired t-tests and ANOVAs were used to identify differences in task performance based upon load and positional group. No significant load-based or positional differences existed in measured simple reaction times. Performances in choice reaction tasks across the team were found to be slower when completed across extended durations (p < 0.0001) and faster when completed concurrent with an added balance task (p = 0.0108), as compared to performance under normal conditions. By assessment of positional differences, goalkeepers tended to be slower than other positions in reactivity during choice tasks, despite no differences existing in simple task performance. Given the unique population utilized herein, measured reactivity in different tasks suggests a strong relation to the training demands of soccer, as well as those of goalkeepers as compared to field positions. Findings suggest that sport and positional demands may be substantial contributors to population- and individual-based reactivity performance.

The majority of the studies on attentional focus have shown that participants who were instructed to focus externally performed better than those who were taught to focus internally. However, in most of these studies the participants performed complex motor tasks. Due to the scarcity of data on the effects of attentional focus specifically on simple motor tasks, our purpose in the current study was to examine these effects on two simple reaction time (RT) tasks. The study was conducted on a cloud-based experimental software. Participants were allocated to three experimental groups: an external focus group (n = 44), an internal focus group (n = 46), and a control group (no attentional instructions; n = 47). The participants performed two tasks: a choice-RT task and a Simon task. Participants in all three groups practiced eight blocks of 20 trials from each task in a counterbalanced order – a total of 180 trials for each task. The sole difference between the three groups was the administered attentional focus instructions. The findings suggest that attentional focus instructions do not affect the performance of a choice-RT task or a Simon-task in a computerized online study. It is possible that the simple RT-based tasks in the current study were not sensitive to the attentional focus manipulation, since in such simple tasks there are not many actions that internal focus can disrupt. Although we asked the participants to what extent they followed the instructions, we cannot say whether their responses represent their actual attentional focus when performing the tasks.

The majority of the studies on attentional focus have shown that participants who were instructed to focus externally performed better than those who were taught to focus internally. However, in most of these studies the participants performed complex motor tasks. Due to the scarcity of data on the effects of attentional focus specifically on simple motor tasks, our purpose in the current study was to examine these effects on two simple reaction time (RT) tasks. The study was conducted on a cloud-based experimental software. Participants were allocated to three experimental groups: an external focus group (n = 44), an internal focus group (n = 46), and a control group (no attentional instructions; n = 47). The participants performed two tasks: a choice-RT task and a Simon task. Participants in all three groups practiced eight blocks of 20 trials from each task in a counterbalanced order – a total of 180 trials for each task. The sole difference between the three groups was the administered attentional focus instructions. The findings suggest that attentional focus instructions do not affect the performance of a choice-RT task or a Simon-task in a computerized online study. It is possible that the simple RT-based tasks in the current study were not sensitive to the attentional focus manipulation, since in such simple tasks there are not many actions that internal focus can disrupt. Although we asked the participants to what extent they followed the instructions, we cannot say whether their responses represent their actual attentional focus when performing the tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cognitive dysfunction due to schizophrenia is strongly associated with patients' social rehabilitation, cognitive functions have been examined as a therapeutic target. Although the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) has been used to evaluate cognitive function, it is difficult to administer in routine clinical practice due to its time-consuming nature. Therefore, a novel tool is needed to facilitate the assessment of cognitive function. In the present study, we examined whether cognitive function can be assessed effectively by testing psychomotor function in patients with schizophrenia. Test batteries consisting of choice reaction time (CRT) and compensatory tracking task (CTT) and the BACS were examined in 20 schizophrenic patients to evaluate the correlation between the scales by Pearson correlation coefficient. Of the test batteries, the CRT was significantly correlated with attention functions, a subtest of the BACS (r = -0.506, p = 0.023), and the CTT was strongly correlated with attention functions (r = -0.716, p < 0.001) and working memory (r = -0.633, p = 0.003). A multiple regression analysis was performed to clarify the association between psychomotor function tests and the total BACS score, and peripheral awareness task, a component of CTT, was independently associated with the total BACS score (β = -0.59, p = 0.004) with an R2 of 0.37. Thus, of the psychomotor function tests, the CRT and the CTT are highly useful in assessing cognitive functions in schizophrenic patients. However, no having large sample size in this study is a limitation.

Post-stroke individuals usually present a delay in choice reaction time (CRT), and it would be important to verify the efficacy in the reduction of CRT after intervention protocols. The main question of this review is 'What are the characteristics of the CRT test and the interventions that decrease the CRT?' Systematic review. The search was performed in March 2019 using the electronic databases, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs, Cinahal, Cochrane, Ovid, Scielo, PEDro, and Embase. There was no restriction regarding publication dates, and studies written in English that were conducted on poststroke patients and presented CRT results were included. Six studies were included in this systematic review, and the majority showed varied objectives, methodologies, and groups, regarding the number and characteristics of the sample, varying from complex to simple tasks for the CRT evaluation. This review suggests the investigation of the CRT in stroke patients with functional tasks using auditory and/or visual stimulus. About the CRT training in stroke patients, this review also suggests bilateral training, including functional tasks, and the use of structural practice blocks, but more studies are needed to better demonstrate the effects of interventions on the CRT. PROSPERO (protocol no. CRD42017073995). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study hypothesis held that in subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD), the reaction time (RT) tests of the higher cognition demand would have more readily improved under the program of analog microgravity (μG) modeled with “dry” immersion (DI). To test this hypothesis, 10 subjects with PD have passed through a program of seven DI sessions (each 45 min long) within 25–30 days, with overall μG dose 5 1/4 h. Five patients were enrolled as controls, without DI (noDI group). Simple RT (SRT), disjunctive RT (DRT), and choice RT (CRT) were assessed in four study points: before the DI program (preDI), 1 day after the DI program (postDI), 2 weeks after the DI program (DI2w), and 2 months after the DI program (DI2m). The motor time (MT) was assessed with the tapping test (TT). Additionally, signal detection time (SDT) and central processing time (CPT) were extracted from the data. Before the program of DI, the RT tests are in accordance with their cognition load: SRT (284 ± 37 ms), DRT (338 ± 38 ms), and CRT (540 ± 156 ms). In accordance with the hypothesis, CRT and DRT have improved under DI by, respectively, 20 and 8% at the study point “DI2w,” whereas SRT, SDT, and MT did not change ( 0.05). Thus, the program of DI provoked RT improvement specifically in the cognitively loaded tasks, in a “dose of cognition-reaction” manner. The accuracy of reaction has changed in none of the RT tests. The neurophysiologic, hormonal/neuroendocrine, behavioral, neural plasticity, and acclimation mechanisms may have contributed to such a result.

Background: Cognitive and motor function in ageing are intertwined, but whether slower motor response time (MRT) to a cognitive stimulus could herald accelerated mobility decline is unknown. Using data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), we examined whether slower MRT may predict a greater than expected increase in Time Up and Go (TUG) after 4 years. Methods: Participants aged 50 years or older were divided into two groups based on their mean MRT (< 250 ms versus ≥ 250 ms). A repeated measures ANOVA compared TUG trajectories between groups, controlling for baseline age, sex, height, education level, mini mental-state examination (MMSE) score, self-reported vision and hearing, medical conditions (cardiovascular, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes), and number of medications. Findings: At Wave 1, 1982 (58.7%) had a mean MRT of < 250 ms, with a mean TUG of 8.1 s (SD 1.6); and 1397 (41.3%) had an MRT of ≥ 250 ms, with a TUG of 9.0 s (SD 2.2). At Wave 3, TUG increased to 8.8 s (SD 2.0) and 10.2 s (SD 3.9), respectively. The results of the adjusted repeated measures ANOVA suggested that there was a statistically significant interaction between MRT group and Wave (P = 0.023, η2p = 0.002). Interpretation: TILDA participants in the slower MRT group seemed to have faster mobility decline, but this effect was statistically and clinically small. Funding: TILDA is funded by Atlantic Philanthropies, the Irish Department of Health and Irish Life. Roman Romero-Ortuno is funded by Science Foundation Ireland (grant number 18/FRL/6188).

We investigated the effects of distractors in older and younger participants in choice and simple reaction time tasks with concurrent registration of event-related potentials. In the task the participants had to prevent a disk from falling into a bin after a color or luminosity change (target stimuli). Infrequently, task-irrelevant stimuli (schematic faces or threatening objects) were superimposed on the target stimuli (distractors), or the bin disappeared which required no response (Nogo trials). Reaction time was delayed to the distractors, but this effect was similar in the two age groups. As a robust age-related difference, in the older group a large anterior positivity and posterior negativity emerged to the distractors within the 100–200 ms post-stimulus range, and these components were larger for schematic faces than for threatening objects. sLORETA localized the age-specific effect to the ventral stream of the visual system and to anterior structures considered as parts of the executive system. The Nogo stimuli elicited a late positivity (Nogo P3) with longer latency in the older group. We interpreted the age-related differences as decreased but compensated resistance to task-irrelevant change of the target stimuli.

Associations between dietary factors and general cognition in the elderly have been documented; however, little is known about reaction time ability in relation to midlife diet. The present study aimed to investigate associations between reaction time and midlife dietary factors, specifically foods, nutrients and Mediterranean diet (MeDi) pattern. The UK Women's Cohort Study collected dietary information from middle-aged women (52 (sd 9·4) years old) using a validated 217-item FFQ in 1995–1998. In 2010–2011, a sub-group of 664 participants completed online reaction time ability tests including simple reaction time (SRT) and choice reaction time; 503 participants were eligible for analysis. Participants were grouped into fast and slow groups by their median reaction time. The intake of particular foods, nutrients, adherence to the MeDi and cooking methods (roasting/baking, frying and barbecuing/grilling) were explored in relation to reaction times. We did not find any significant associations between reaction times and investigated foods, nutrients or adherence to the MeDi in adjusted models. However, consumers of roasted/baked fish and fried vegetables were associated with slower SRT (adjusted OR 1·46, 95 % CI 1·00, 2·13, P = 0·049; and adjusted OR 1·64, 95 % CI 1·12, 2·39, P = 0·010, respectively) compared with non-consumers of that particularly cooked food. Overall, our findings show no significant associations between midlife diet and reaction time ability 10–15 years later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study hypothesis held that in subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD), the reaction time (RT) tests of the higher cognition demand would have more readily improved under the program of analog microgravity (μG) modeled with "dry" immersion (DI). To test this hypothesis, 10 subjects with PD have passed through a program of seven DI sessions (each 45 min long) within 25–30 days, with overall μG dose 5 1/4 h. Five patients were enrolled as controls, without DI (noDI group). Simple RT (SRT), disjunctive RT (DRT), and choice RT (CRT) were assessed in four study points: before the DI program (preDI), 1 day after the DI program (postDI), 2 weeks after the DI program (DI2w), and 2 months after the DI program (DI2m). The motor time (MT) was assessed with the tapping test (TT). Additionally, signal detection time (SDT) and central processing time (CPT) were extracted from the data. Before the program of DI, the RT tests are in accordance with their cognition load: SRT (284 ± 37 ms), DRT (338 ± 38 ms), and CRT (540 ± 156 ms). In accordance with the hypothesis, CRT and DRT have improved under DI by, respectively, 20 and 8% at the study point "DI2w," whereas SRT, SDT, and MT did not change (<5% in the preDI point, p > 0.05). Thus, the program of DI provoked RT improvement specifically in the cognitively loaded tasks, in a "dose of cognition-reaction" manner. The accuracy of reaction has changed in none of the RT tests. The neurophysiologic, hormonal/neuroendocrine, behavioral, neural plasticity, and acclimation mechanisms may have contributed to such a result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A history of concussion is recognized as a risk factor for musculoskeletal injury, which is likely associated with physiological effects that warrant better understanding. This study aimed to assess the potential of measurements obtained from an immersive virtual reality (VR) test to identify a subtle perceptual-motor impairment that may be prospectively associated with the occurrence of a core or lower extremity sprain or strain., Methods: A cohort of 68 high school athletes (41 female soccer players and 27 male football players) provided survey responses and completed an immersive VR test several days prior to the initiation of preseason practice sessions. Measurements of eye, neck, arm, and whole-body displacements were obtained during 40 successive lunging/reaching responses to visual stimuli moving horizontally across the VR headset display. Injury occurrences were electronically documented from the initial preseason practice session to the final game of the season., Results: A statistically significant and intrinsically credible two-factor prediction model for core or lower extremity injury occurrence included an interaction between female sex and a self-reported history of two or more concussions, along with slow response time (RT) for arm reach (OR = 4.67; 95% CI, 1.51-14.43). Follow-up analyses identified sex-specific cut points for arm reach RT associated with elevated injury risk, which were ≥1.385 s for females and ≥1.257 s for males., Discussion: High school female soccer players who have sustained more than one concussion appear to be highly vulnerable to core or lower extremity sprain or strain, with the risk of injury compounded by a slow arm reach RT. Male football players as a group demonstrated significantly faster arm reach RT than that of female soccer players, but slow perceptual-motor RT for arm reach was also identified as a potentially important injury risk factor for male players. Immersive VR appears to provide precise measurements of behavioral performance characteristics that depend on brain processing efficiency. Given that the speed, accuracy, and consistency of perceptual-motor responses may be modifiable, future research should explore the potential benefits of VR training for reducing the risk of sport-related injuries., Competing Interests: GW serves as a consultant to REACT Neuro, Cambridge, MA, USA, which provided equipment and software used for the acquisition of the study data. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (© 2024 Wilkerson, Wynn, Dill, Acocello, Carlson and Hogg.)

We investigated the effects of distractors in older and younger participants in choice and simple reaction time tasks with concurrent registration of event-related potentials. In the task the participants had to prevent a disk from falling into a bin after a color or luminosity change (target stimuli). Infrequently, task-irrelevant stimuli (schematic faces or threatening objects) were superimposed on the target stimuli (distractors), or the bin disappeared which required no response (Nogo trials). Reaction time was delayed to the distractors, but this effect was similar in the two age groups. As a robust age-related difference, in the older group a large anterior positivity and posterior negativity emerged to the distractors within the 100–200 ms post-stimulus range, and these components were larger for schematic faces than for threatening objects. sLORETA localized the age-specific effect to the ventral stream of the visual system and to anterior structures considered as parts of the executive system. The Nogo stimuli elicited a late positivity (Nogo P3) with longer latency in the older group. We interpreted the age-related differences as decreased but compensated resistance to task-irrelevant change of the target stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Choice reaction time generally increases linearly with the logarithm of the number of potential stimulus-response alternatives, a regularity known as Hick's law. Two apparent violations of this generalization, which have been reported for aimed eye movements (Kveraga, Boucher, & Hughes, Experimental Brain Research, 146, 307-314, 2002), and arm movements (Wright, Marino, Belovsky, & Chubb, Experimental Brain Research, 179, 475-496, 2007), occurred when the indicator stimulus was an abrupt change at the location that was the target of the to-be-made movement. We report two experiments that examined and rejected the hypothesis that these abrupt-onset indicator stimuli triggered a shift in exogenous attention and that this led to unusually small uncertainty effects. Each experiment compared this indicator stimulus with a single alternative: Experiment 1 tested an indicator stimulus at all locations other than the target; Experiment 2 tested a central pointer to the target. Neither alternative led to an uncertainty effect for pointing responses that was of the size typically observed for other responses using the same stimuli.

Decision time, also known as choice reaction time, has been frequently discussed in the field of psychology. The Hick–Hyman Law (HHL) has been a fundamental model that has revealed the quantitative relationship between the mean choice reaction time of human and the information entropy of stimuli. However, the HHL is only focused on rule-based behavior in which rules for selecting response according to stimulus are certain and neglects to model the knowledge-based behavior in which choices are uncertain and influenced by human belief. In this article, we explored the decision time related to one basic knowledge-based behavior—uncertain binary choice, where selections of response are determined by human belief degrees but not by stimuli uncertainties. Two experiments were conducted: one for verifying the HHL and the other for uncertain binary choice. The former (experiment) demonstrated the effectiveness of the HHL, and the latter one indicated that there is an exponential relationship existing between decision time and entropy of belief degree in uncertain binary choice. Moreover, data obtained from both experiments showed that the disturbance term of decision time should not be seen as probabilistic as existing studies have assumed, which highlighted the necessity and advantage of uncertain regression analysis.

Sławomir Kujawski,1 Joanna Słomko,1 Małgorzata Tafil-Klawe,2 Monika Zawadka-Kunikowska,1 Justyna Szrajda,1 Julia L Newton,3 Paweł Zalewski,1 Jacek J Klawe1 1Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Ergonomics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland; 2Department of Human Physiology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland; 3Institute for Cellular Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK Introduction: Firefighters as a profession are required to maintain high levels of attention for prolonged periods. However, total sleep deprivation (TSD) could influence negatively upon performance, particularly when the task is prolonged and repetitive. Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the influence of TSD on cognitive functioning in a group of firefighters. Subjects and methods: Sixty volunteers who were active male fire brigade officers were examined with a computerized battery test that consisted of simple reaction time (SRT) (repeated three times), choice reaction time, visual attention test, and delayed matching to sample. Six series of measurements were undertaken over a period of TSD. Results: Performance in the second attempt in SRT test was significantly worse in terms of increased number of errors and, consequently, decreased number of correct responses during TSD. In contrast, the choice reaction time number of correct responses as well as the visual attention test reaction time for all and correct responses significantly improved compared to initial time points. Conclusion: The study has confirmed that subjects committed significantly more errors and, consequently, noted a smaller number of correct responses in the second attempt of SRT test. However, the remaining results showed reversed direction of TSD influence. TSD potentially leads to worse performance in a relatively easy task in a group of firefighters. Errors during repetitive tasks in firefighting routines could potentially translate into catastrophic consequences. Keywords: constant routine protocol, simple reaction time, choice reaction time, visual attention test, delayed matching to sample mental functioning

Dyslipidaemia, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension contribute to the risk of cognitive disorder and dementia. However very few and conflicting results are available with respect to the impact of lipoprotein ratios on cognitive functions in healthy individuals. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the association of lipid profile and its ratios with reaction time in young healthy individuals. 89 individuals (54 male and 35 female) with mean age of 31.20 ± 3.19 years were selected for this observational study conducted at AIIMS Rishikesh and written consent was obtained. TC, TG, HDL were measured by semi auto analyzer following the manufacturers' instruction and LDL was calculated by Friedewald formula. Reaction time (simple and choice reaction time) was assessed using a software package, Deary–Liewald reaction time task. Association of various parameters was calculated by pearson's correlation coefficient using SPSS version 23.0. Reaction time showed significant negative association with BMI (r = − 0.323, p = 0.002) in total study participants as well as with TG (r = − 0.440, p = 0.008) and TG/HDL (r = − 0.402, p = 0.025) in female individuals. From this study, it could be concluded that TG/HDL ratio, the superlative predictor of concomitant presence of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome may be considered as a biomarker for assessment of cognitive function in young healthy female individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed (I) to investigate the impact of the number of stimulus-responses alternatives on reaction time (RT) under quasi-realistic fencing situations, and (II) to elucidate whether the regression slope based on the RT and the number of stimulus-responses alternatives could distinguish between beginners and experienced fencers. Ten beginners (7 men) and 10 experienced (6 men) fencers participated in the study. A video-based method was used to present four typical fencing movement techniques (i.e. "stimulus") after which the participants had to perform an offensive (high or low attack) or defensive (high or low defence) action (i.e. "response"). The simple-RT (specific stimulus known in advance), 2Choice-RT (only defensive or offensive stimuli), and 4Choice-RT (all possible stimuli) were evaluated. The increase in the number of stimulus-responses alternatives was associated with higher RT (4Choice-RT > 2Choice-RT > Simple-RT; p < 0.05). Beginners always presented higher RT compared to fencers (range: 25.5–34.8%; p < 0.05) and also showed a steeper slope of the relationship between RT and the number of stimulus-responses alternatives (range: 35.2–55.2%; p < 0.05). These results suggest that the capability to quickly respond to specific fencing stimuli increases with training experience, being the differences accentuated with increasing number of stimulus-responses alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-distance running and, in particular, running marathons has become an increasingly popular activity among the elderly. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of a marathon effort on the psychomotor performance and catecholamine concentration in runners over 50 years of age. The participants were male runners (n = 28) who completed the 32nd Wrocław Marathon in Poland. The runners' psychomotor performance was assessed on the basis of their choice reaction times (CRT), heart rate (HR) and running speed measurements. In addition, the adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline (NA) as well as lactate (LA) levels and anaerobic threshold (AT) were measured. The runners' CRT after crossing the finish line was significantly longer by 50 ms (p < 0.05) in response to each emitted audiovisual stimulus, as compared with baseline. The mean running speed was reduced by 1 km/h between the first speed measurement (5th km of the run) and the last (42.195 km) (p < 0.05). The observed three-fold increase in adrenaline and noradrenaline levels indicates an intense activity of the sympathetic–adrenergic system. The cognitive function levels in the studied marathon runners returned to baseline after 30 min of recovery, and the function of the sympathetic–adrenergic system by seven days after completing the marathon race. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Balance control is an essential element of locomotion that enhances biomotor abilities and physical performance. Individuals with extensive soccer experience display superior static single leg balance control compared to athletes of other sports as well as non-athletes. However, during a match, players often encounter greater challenges to single leg balance that require rapid decision-making skills and dynamic stability. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if individuals with extensive soccer training demonstrate superior single-leg balance control compared to non-athletes during a dynamic lower limb reaching task. Method: 22 varsity soccer players were matched with 21 non-athlete controls. Single-leg balance control was assessed during a Go/No-Go lower limb reaching task. Centre of pressure displacement (dCOP) was measured for both the dominant and non-dominant feet and compared between groups. Results: Soccer players displayed reduced dCOP during All Go trials compared to non-athletes, particularly in the medial-lateral plane. Additionally, soccer players displayed reduced anterior-posterior dCOP during Go/No-Go trials compared to non-athletes, particularly on their dominant foot. Conclusion: Athletes with soccer-specific training demonstrate improved executive control and use of proprioceptive information, which results in an improved ability to maintain single-support balance and corral COP during a dynamic visuomotor lower limb-reaching task. As such, balance training may be a useful addition to athlete training regimes to improve sport-specific performance. Future research would compare these results to athletes of other sports to explore balance control during a visuomotor reaching task and how it may differ based on sport training history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]