Gender dimorphism of neurodynamic and cognitive functions of sub-elite and elite athletes (on the example of sports acrobatics).

Abstract

Objective: Aim: To evaluate the impact of a specific acrobatic load on the neurodynamic and cognitive functions of acrobats, as well as to study how these functions change depending on the gender, age and level of sports qualification of athletes (sub-elite and elite athletes).

Patients and methods: Materials and Methods: Athletes specializing in pair and group acrobatics, of two age categories: 1. Sub-elite - athletes of puberty age, which included: girls (n=32), average age 13.96±1.02 years; boys (n=36), average age 14.88±2.32 years. 2. Youth acrobats (elite athletes): girls (n=30), average age 19.36±2.86 years; young men (n=34), average age 20.38±2.89. The computer program "Diagnost-1" was used in researches.

Results: Results: In female acrobats, the latency period of simple visual-motor information, the latent period of the visual-motor reaction to choosing two out of three stimuli are statistically different from those of young acrobats. Boys acrobats are faster in terms of functional mobility of nervous processes than girls in both age categories (at p<0.05). A greater amount of processed information was found in acrobat boys than in adolescent girls. According to the indicators of cognitive characteristics features of sexual dimorphism between acrobats of different age categories were revealed due to different information processing strategies taking into account sexual characteristics.

Conclusion: Conclusions: Boys-acrobats of puberty and adolescence showed more effective processing of simple and complex visual-motor information compared to girls-acrobats of the same age categories. The indicators of neurodynamic and cognitive functions of young acrobats are better than those of pubescent athletes and different by gender (p<0.05).