Research
Brain power play: Hockey players show position-specific smarts, says SFU study
As elite athletes push the boundaries of physical performance, 尤物视频 researchers are exploring a new frontier: brain training.
A recent study published in the reveals that hockey players鈥� cognitive processing speeds vary by position 鈥� and that these abilities can be trained.
鈥淵ou look at star hockey players like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, and we may be reaching the limits of physical speed,鈥� says lead researcher Eric Kirby, an SFU PhD graduate now working with neuroscience professor Ryan D鈥橝rcy at 鈥淏ut the brain is highly adaptable 鈥� and we now have the tools to measure and enhance that adaptability.鈥�
Using the portable , researchers tested 378 elite junior A hockey players across B.C. The results showed that forwards had the fastest auditory and cognitive processing and goalies showed the strongest attentional focus. On average, the processing speed difference between forwards and defenders was 60 milliseconds, according to the study.
鈥淨uick-thinking keeps you safe by keeping you in the pocket. And who doesn't want to think faster?鈥�
鈥� Dr. Ryan D鈥橝rcy
The NeuroCatch庐 scanner measures brain responses related to sensory, attentional, and cognitive processing. By identifying which areas of the brain are most active based on player position, athletes can tailor their training to sharpen mental performance alongside physical conditioning.
鈥淲e鈥檝e seen that you can train your brain to think faster 鈥� sometimes between 50 and 100 milliseconds faster 鈥� which is huge,鈥� explains D鈥橝rcy, study author and co-founder of NeuroCatch. 鈥淭hat processing advantage not only boosts performance but also enhances safety. In contact sports, being able to read patterns and react quickly can help you avoid a hit.鈥�
The scans can be conducted immediately after players come off the ice, which enables unparalleled evaluation opportunities. This approach allowed researchers to capture authentic, high-performance brain activity in a live sports environment.
But the technology isn鈥檛 just for athletes. D鈥橝rcy notes that NeuroCatch is a fast, non-intrusive tool that鈥檚 being used in a wide range of settings, from sports and rehabilitation to emergency rooms and research labs. The scan takes just six minutes, using a soft electrode cap.
鈥淚ntegrated with SFU research and commercialized by HealthTech Connex, NeuroCatch is a readily available medical device: a portable brain scanner that measures your brain health, much like you measure your heart health with a blood pressure cuff,鈥� says D鈥橝rcy. 鈥淚t not only evaluates your brain health but also helps identify the most effective treatments 鈥� and tracks whether they鈥檙e working.鈥�