Objective: It is unclear whether and to what extent COVID-19 infection poses health risks and a chronic impairment of performance in athletes. Identification of individual health risk is an important decision-making basis for managing the pandemic risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 in sports and return to play (RTP).Methods: This study aims 1) to analyze the longitudinal rate of seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in German athletes, 2) to assess health-related consequences in athletes infected with SARS-CoV-2, and 3) to reveal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in general and of a cleared SARS-CoV-2 infection on exercise performance. CoSmo-S is a prospective observational multicenter study establishing two cohorts: 1) athletes diagnosed positive for COVID-19 (cohort 1) and 2) federal squad athletes who perform their annual sports medical preparticipation screening (cohort 2). Comprehensive diagnostics including physical examination, laboratory blood analyses and blood biobanking, resting and exercise electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, spirometry and exercise testing added by questionnaires are conducted at baseline and follow-up.Results and Conclusion: We expect that the results obtained, will allow us to formulate recommendations regarding RTP on a more evidence-based level.
It is well-established that expertise developed through continuous and deliberate practice has the potential to delay age-related decline in fine motor skills. However, less is known about the underlying mechanisms, that is, whether expertise leads to a higher performance level changing the initial status from which age-related decline starts or if expertise-related changes result in qualitatively different motor output and neural processing providing a resource of compensation for age-related changes. Thus, as a first step, this study aims at a better understanding of expertise-related changes in fine motor control with respect to force output and respective electrophysiological correlates. Here, using a multidimensional approach, we investigated fine motor control of experts and novices in precision mechanics during the execution of a dynamic force control task. On the level of force output, we analyzed precision, variability, and complexity. We further used dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) to analyze the electrophysiological correlates of force control to deduce brain network dynamics. Experts’ force output was more precise, less variable, and more complex. Task-related DMD mean mode magnitudes within the α-band at electrodes over sensorimotor relevant areas were reduced in experts, and lower DMD mean mode magnitudes related to the force output in novices. Our results provide evidence for expertise dependent central adaptions with distinct and more complex organization and decentralization of sensorimotor subsystems. Results from our multidimensional approach can be seen as a step forward in understanding expertise-related changes and exploiting their potential as resources for healthy aging.
As the proportion of people over 60 years of age rises continuously in westernized societies, it becomes increasingly important to better understand aging processes and how to maintain independence in old age. Fine motor tasks are essential in daily living and, therefore, necessary to maintain. This paper extends the existing literature on fine motor control by manipulating the difficulty of a force maintenance task to characterize performance optima for elderly. Thirty-seven elderly (M = 68.00, SD = 4.65) performed a force control task at dynamically varying force levels, i.e. randomly changing every 3 s between 10%, 20%, and 30% of the individual’s maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). This task was performed alone or with one or two additional tasks to increase task difficulty. The force control characteristics accuracy, variability, and complexity were analyzed. Lowest variability was observed at 20%. Accuracy and complexity increased with increasing force level. Overall, increased task difficulty had a negative impact on task performance. Results support the assumption, that attention control has a major impact on force control performance in elderly people. We assume different parameters to have their optimum at different force levels, which remain comparably stable when additional tasks are performed. The study contributes to a better understanding of how force control is affected in real-life situations when it is performed simultaneously to other cognitive and sensory active and passive tasks.
Zusammenfassung Einleitung Im Rahmen der Demenz vom Alzheimer-Typ (DAT) zeigt sich eine gestörte neuronale Netzwerkorganisation, welche sich unter anderem auch im Default Mode Netzwerk (DMN) widerspiegelt. Multimodale Interventionen, wie zum Beispiel Golf, können einen positiven Einfluss auf die funktionelle Integrität der Netzwerke haben. Methodik Im Rahmen einer Pilotstudie wurde der Einfluss des Erlernens der Sportart Golf bei sieben älteren Menschen (> 60 Jahre) mit subjektiven Gedächtnisbeschwerden auf die funktionelle Konnektivität des DMN untersucht. Die Probanden haben 22 Wochen unter Anleitung eines professionellen Golftrainers dreimal wöchentlich je 60 min trainiert. Vor (Messzeitpunkt 0, MZP0) und nach der Intervention (Messzeitpunkt 1, MZP1) wurde eine Elektroenzephalografie (EEG)-Messung unter Ruhebedingungen (resting-state) durchgeführt. Die EEG-Daten wurden mit einem Magnetresonanztomographie-Template koregistriert. Die Konnektivitätsanalyse wurde in 15 Regionen des DMN durchgeführt und im Längsschnitt verglichen. Dabei wurden die Frequenzbänder beta (14–29 Hz) und theta (5–7 Hz) berücksichtigt. Ergebnisse Nach der Intervention wurde eine höhere funktionelle Konnektivität im gesamten DMN bei 5 / 7 Teilnehmenden im beta Frequenzband bzw. bei 6 / 7 Probanden im theta Frequenzband zu MZP1 im Vergleich zu MZP0 gemessen. Im anterioren DMN war bei allen Probanden und Probandinnen die funktionelle Konnektivität im beta Frequenzband zu MZP1 im Vergleich zu MZP 0 höher, während sie im theta-Band bei 6 von 7 Teilnehmenden niedriger war. Im posterioren DMN war bei 6 von 7 (beta), bzw. 5 von 7 (theta) Probanden und Probandinnen die funktionelle Konnektivität zu MZP1 höher als zu MZP0. Spearman-Korrelationsanalysen zeigen zudem einen Zusammenhang zwischen der Teilnahmehäufigkeit und der prozentualen Veränderung der funktionellen Konnektivität im gesamten DMN des beta Frequenzbandes (r = 0,786, p = 0,036) und im anterioren DMN des theta Frequenzbandes (r = –0,821, p = 0,023). Fazit Auf Basis der vorliegenden Daten lässt sich vermuten, dass das Erlernen der Sportart Golf einen Einfluss auf das DMN haben könnte. Die Ergebnisse bilden die Grundlage für die Planung einer Studie mit einer größeren Kohorte und randomisierten kontrollierten Design.
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