A holistic investigation of amateur batters performance responses to a century protocol: a focused cognitive perspective
- Authors: Goble, David
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Cricket -- Batting -- Physiological aspects , Cricket players -- Physiology , Cricket players -- Health and hygiene , Cognition -- Testing , Neurophysiology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/40725 , vital:25020
- Description: No cognitive study has implemented an exercise modality that requires both physical effort and cognitive control, therefore, the effects of such exercise are unknown. Additionally, no studies have investigated how prolonged batting impacts cognitive functioning nor how physical responses and cognitive functioning are related while batting. At intensities of 6070 percent heart rate maximum, acute and prolonged bouts of physical activity have been shown to improve cognitive functioning. At higher intensities, the beneficial effects are minimal and in some cases performance is impaired. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to determine how prolonged intermittent batting (a task that requires high muscular and cardiovascular loads but also continuous cognitive control) affects cognitive, physiological, physical and biophysical responses in amateur batters. Further aims included to test the reliability of the method employed in assessing these responses. To answer this question, the investigation was separated into three studies: phase 1 (a large-scale pilot) and phase 2 and 3 (a repeated measures test-retest hypothesis). In each phase, batters completed the 30 over BATEX simulation, which replicated the demands of scoring a one-day international century. To establish physiological, physical and perceptual strain; heart rate, sprint times and perceived exertion data were collected each over. Changes in body mass over time were compared to determine the effects of fluid loss on cognitive performance. Before, during and after the simulation, psychomotor function, visual attention, working memory, visual learning and memory as well as executive functions were assessed (CogState brief test battery). During cognitive assessments, heart rate and heart rate variability parameters were sampled so that autonomic modulation of the heart could be determined. The methodological differences between phase 1 and phase 2 and 3, were (respectively); the frequency of cognitive assessments (five vs. three), the samples used (15 schoolboy vs. 16 academy batters), hydration protocols (250ml of Energade vs. water ad libitum) and a singular change in a physical dependent variable (batting accuracy vs. vertical jump). In schoolboy and academy batters, the prolonged batting simulation placed significant strain on the cardiovascular and muscular subsystems; increasing heart rate (p<0.01), decreasing body mass (p<0.01) and deteriorating sprint performance (p<0.01) over time. In each sample, batters’ perceived exertion increased significantly (p<0.01) and exertion was highest in the final over of the protocol. Interestingly, the changes in cardiovascular and muscular responses were larger in schoolboy batters. While the cognitive performance decrements over time were not significant in academy batters (p>0.05; d<0.2), the magnitude of impairment in psychomotor function (p>0.05; d = 0.37), visual attention (p>0.05; d = 0.56), working memory (p>0.05; d = 0.61) and executive function (p>0.05; d = 0.58) was larger in schoolboy batters. In both samples, the simulation altered the modulation of heart rate significantly. Heart rate variability decreased linearly with time spent batting (p<0.01; d>0.8). During cognitive assessments, heart rate variability increased with time-on-task, where responses were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the last task of the battery compared to the first. Importantly, the results of the retest phase were the same as in the test phase and only two condition effects were observed; (i) heart rate (retest lower: p<0.04;d = 0.39), (ii) body mass (retest lower: p<0.03;d = 0.09). A task-related condition effect in heart rate variability (PNN30) was also observed (retest higher: p<0.03; d = not calculated). Resultantly, the test-retest reliability of phase 2 and 3 was high. The results indicate that prolonged intermittent batting at an intensity of 64-77 %HRmax impaired cognitive functioning in amateur batters. However, the cardiovascular and muscular strain induced by prolonged intermittent batting and its effects on cognitive functioning are mediated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors (age, training status, playing experience and hydration). Therefore, while prolonged batting has similar effects on cognitive functioning as acute bouts of physical activity, they do not share the same relationship. The author hypothesises that the continuous cognitive component inherent in prolonged batting mitigates the beneficial effects of physical activity, as demonstrated previously. Future research is needed to elucidate this relationship. Additionally, player experience affects the way in which batters regulate performance while batting; which also affects the rate of and magnitude of impairment during batting. Finally, the methodological limitations of this study provide direction for future research into batting.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The effect of submersion in water and breathing modality (assisted breathing and apnea) on different stages of the information processing chain
- Authors: Goodenough, Luke Brian
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Deep diving -- Physiological aspects , Scuba diving -- Physiological aspects , Apnea , Cognition -- Testing , Neurophysiology , Underwater breathing apparatus
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7448 , vital:21261
- Description: Limited research has explored the impact of working underwater on the cognitive functioning of divers and even less has focused on the effect of breathing modality (assisted breathing and apnea) underwater. Research on the effect of submersion in water and apnea on cognitive performance is also very limited. As a result, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of submersion in water and breathing modality on different stages of the information processing chain. This was achieved by testing participants in a laboratory setting under three conditions; on land, underwater with assisted breathing and underwater in apnea. Five different tests were used to determine which aspects of cognitive functioning were impaired in which condition. The recognition task result in the assisted breathing condition was significantly faster (p=0.04) but less accurate (p=0.01) than on land. The memory task was significantly (p=0.042) worse in terms of speed in the apnea condition compared to land, however accuracy was not affected. Performance in the visual detection task was impacted on in both underwater conditions compared to land with speed and accuracy being significantly worse (p<0.01) in the underwater conditions. These results indicate that simple tasks, (reaction time and tracking task) are not affected by condition whereas more complex tasks are. For tasks where an effect was found for only one condition, the effect was attributed to a specific aspect of that condition; either the breath hold or assisted breathing component of the condition. For tasks that were found to be affected in both underwater conditions, the effect was attributed to the actual submersion in water. The effect of the different conditions and the nature of the task they impact on should be considered for underwater work places as the general equipment used may impact on the quality of observations that are made.
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- Date Issued: 2017