title: Altered resting brain function and structure in professional badminton players.
abstract: Neuroimaging studies of professional athletic or musical training have demonstrated considerable practice-dependent plasticity in various brain structures, which may reflect distinct training demands. In the present study, structural and functional brain alterations were examined in professional badminton players and compared with healthy controls using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting-state functional MRI. Gray matter concentration (GMC) was assessed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM), and resting-brain functions were measured by amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and seed-based functional connectivity. Results showed that the athlete group had greater GMC and ALFF in the right and medial cerebellar regions, respectively. The athlete group also demonstrated smaller ALFF in the left superior parietal lobule and altered functional connectivity between the left superior parietal and frontal regions. These findings indicate that badminton expertise is associated with not only plastic structural changes in terms of enlarged gray matter density in the cerebellum, but also functional alterations in fronto-parietal connectivity. Such structural and functional alterations may reflect specific experiences of badminton training and practice, including high-capacity visuo-spatial processing and hand-eye coordination in addition to refined motor skills.
authors: Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Di
authors: Senhua
authors: S
authors: Zhu
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: Jin
authors: Pin
authors: P
authors: Wang
authors: Zhuoer
authors: Z
authors: Ye
authors: Ke
authors: K
authors: Zhou
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Zhuo
authors: Hengyi
authors: H
authors: Rao
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology; D001076:Aptitude / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D015865:Racquet Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult