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Understanding the cortical activation and postural control behavior during dual-task (DT) has been an object of study. However, despite the multiple benefits of exercise and good sleep quality, less is known about the correlation between physical activity (PA) and sleep quality (SQ) on postural control and brain activation under dual-task performance. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between PA level and SQ with postural control performance and hemodynamic response in the prefrontal cortex during the DT performance in young adults. Thirty-four healthy young adults (mean age ± SD = 22.91 ± 3.90 years) participated in this study, and they performed a single-task and cognitive and motor DT using their smartphones. Postural control was assessed using a force plate to record the center of pressure (CoP) data (total excursion of CoP (TOTEX CoP), displacements of the CoP in anterior-posterior (CoP-AP) and medial-lateral (CoP-ML) directions, mean total velocity displacement of CoP (MVELO CoP), mean displacement velocity of CoP in anterior-posterior (MVELO CoP-AP) and medial-lateral (MVELO CoP-ML) directions, amplitude of CoP in anterior-posterior (A-AP) and medial-lateral (A-ML) directions, and 95% confidence ellipse sway area (CEA)). The hemodynamic response was measured by the oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentrations using the functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index and International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form questionnaires assessed SQ and level of PA, respectively. Results indicated a positive correlation between SQ and cognitive DT cost for CoP-ML (r

The present study aimed to assess the impact of a tennis competition on the HRV of nationally ranked junior girls and boys tennis players. A total of 22 nationally ranked tennis players (8 girls and 14 boys), with a mean age of 14.18 (2.15) and experience in national tournaments of 4.23 (2.27) years, participated in this cross-sectional study. Boys had a mean age of 14.36 (1.86) years-old and girls had a mean age of 13.87 (2.69) years old. Participants were assessed the day before and 20 min before the competition match. Significantly reduction in time-domain variables such as the time between intervals R-R (RR-interval) (p-value = 0.001), the percentage of intervals50 ms different from the previous interval (pNN50) (p-value = 0.020) and the square root of the mean of the squares of the successive differences of the interval RR (RMSSD) (p-value = 0.028) were found between baseline and pre-match assessments. Furthermore, the non-linear measure based on the dispersion, standard deviation, of points perpendicular to the axis of line-of-identity in the Poincaré plot (SD1) (p-value = 0.028) was also significantly reduced before the match when compared to the baseline. However, differences between girls and boys junior tennis players were not found in the pre-competitive heart rate variability (HRV) variables (p-value0.05). HRV is a convenient, non-invasive measurement that can be easily performed with a watch at home and on the field in order to control and manage match-induced pressure.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disease whose symptoms may cause altered walking pattern, which is important given the relevance of walking in daily life activities. These activities use to require the ability to perform both a motor and a cognitive task simultaneously. The main aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of performing a simultaneous cognitive task in the gait pattern of women with FM.A total of 36 women recruited from a local association took part in this cross-sectional study. The time required to complete the 10-meters-walking-test and kinematic outcomes including number of steps, cadence, trunk tilt and ranges of motion were analyzed under single (motor task only) and dual task (motor and cognitive tasks simultaneously) conditions. The secondary task consisted in counting aloud backward in rows of two.Results showed a significant increment in the time required to complete the test (p 0.01) when participants performed the motor and cognitive tasks at the same time. Moreover, relevant changes in kinematic parameters such as increment of number of steps (p 0.01), cadence (p 0.01), trunk tilt (p 0.01) and both hip (p 0.01) and knee (p = 0.03) ranges of motion were also observed.Adding a cognitive task to a primary motor task affects the walking motor pattern in women with FM, making it more stable and safer walking pattern when the attention is focused on two simultaneous tasks.

The aim of this study was to analyse the differences in behavioural, psychological, and physiological stress markers and academic performance of immigrant parents’ students and non-immigrant parents’ students. 75 students (7.8±2.3 years, from 3 to 12 years), 37 from Morocco immigrant families and 38 from Spanish families, all of them studying in a Spanish public school were recruited. We analysed the autonomical nervous system stress status by the heart rate variability, physical activity patterns, nutritional habits, state and trait anxiety, and academic performance of students. No significant differences were found in autonomical nervous system stress markers, physical activity levels, academic performance, and just a lower protein animal consumption from students with Moroccan families. Students with North African descendent family presented a behavioural, psychological and physiological stress markers and academic performance similar than students with national origins, showing their adaptation in the school context. Sin financiación 3.244 JCR (2020) Q2, 20/53 Behavioral Sciences 0.960 SJR (2020) Q1, 26/658 Philosophy No data IDR 2019 UEM

The game of chess has been traditionally used to study basic cognitive processes. However, it has been poorly studied in adolescent chess players. The aim of the present study was to describe the psychophysiological response of adolescence, using electroencephalography (EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV) during problem-solving tasks. Thus, participants had to solve four chess problems with different level of difficulty (low and high). A total of 13 adolescent chess players (age: 15.45 [1.64] with a mean ELO score of 1403 [209.16]) participated in the study. EEG and HRV were recorded while participants solved the chess problems. Results indicated that HRV is reduced as well as EEG theta power spectrum increased during the high difficulty level. These results support the idea of HRV and EEG as useful tools to control stress or cognitive load during cognitive tasks even in adolescent. This characterization increases the knowledge about the psychophysiological response of adolescence to a cognitive task under time pressure.