Is sport the brain's biggest challenge?

Abstract

Sport is a demanding activity requiring more cognitive skills than is often appreciated. By trying to understand the sporting brain, in particular that of elite athletes, we may learn something about behaviour relevant to the normal population. We may also be confronted by the limits of current cognitive neuroscience. Here I outline some of the key areas where engaging with the cognitive aspects of sport will help cognitive neuroscientists to confront the application of their science outside the laboratory.