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To examine the transferability of perceptual-cognitive training using NeuroTracker to on-field soccer performance parameters.

22 NCAA Division I women’s soccer players (ages of 18-25) were split into trained and control groups. After baseline testing on NeuroTracker, the experimental group completed 10 NeuroTracker sessions (60-mins) over four-weeks. Game performance data, successful action, passing percentage, and short-medium range passing percentage, was collected utilizing Wyscout video analysis software during a competitive season.

NeuroTracker visual tracking speeds for the trained group significantly increased by 68% from pre-training baseline, while the control group had a 12% increase from baseline testing effects. Analysis showed no significant effects of training over the control group for on performance metrics, except for average in game passing-accuracy, which increased significantly over the control group.

Attention and feedback are known to play critical roles in learning. This preliminary study sought to assess the benefits of instant feedback within NeuroTracker task performance.

38 young adults (mean 23yrs old) completed 4 NeuroTracker sessions over two days. 19 participants were assisted with feedback on test performance throughout the sessions, and 19 were given no feedback. Pre and post training assessments were completed using the Continuous Performance Test II to measure cognitive function.

The participants assisted with feedback demonstrated greater improvement in NeuroTracker scores over the 4 sessions. The feedback group also demonstrated better transferability effects to the CPT-II task, reflected by a significantly decreased pre/post mean error rate. The results indicate that feedback has a positive effect on performance and may be an important aspect of transfer to cognitive functions.

To examine physiological and cognitive differences between starters and non-starters in women’s soccer over the course of a season.

28 NCAA Division I female soccer players were tested at preseason and postseason on battery of assessments. This battery included a one session baseline NeuroTracker, vertical jump power, repeated line drills, reaction time, cognitive questionnaires, and finally, muscle architecture changes using ultrasonography.

Over the season, both groups had very similar NeuroTracker baselines, and both group’s speed thresholds improved significantly from pre-season to post-season. As there was no training intervention, the researchers concluded that this improvement effect revealed the positive influence of daily soccer practice on cognitive functions. This suggests NeuroTracker is a sensitive measure of the cumulative effects of sports training over time. These measures contrasted the cognitive questionnaire results, where the soccer player self-reported decreases in energy, focus and alertness, in line with increased fatigue, over the season.

To investigate playing sports influences cognitive capacities measured by NeuroTracker, as well as to see if such effects differs between young males and females.

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72 individuals aged 16 to 22 were split into 4 groups: male athletes, female athletes, male non-athletes and female non-athletes. All groups performed 15 sessions of NeuroTracker (approximately 90-mins) over 5 weeks.

All groups showed significant improvements across the NeuroTracker training. Initially, male athletes demonstrated higher performance compared to their female counterparts and non-athletes. The female athletes also maintained consistently higher scores than male non-athletes, as did male athletes over other groups. Overall, a clear cognitive advantage was associated with engaging in sports.

To investigate how attentionally based performance and learning is affected when audio stimuli is present in athletic populations.

Twenty USPORT level football athletes (mean age = 20.5yrs) completed in 18 sessions of NeuroTracker Training. Ten athletes completed the training in a dark room with no external noise (had noise cancelling headphones). The other ten athletes completed the training in the same room but were exposed to a consistent simulated crowd noise.

No significant differences in NeuroTracker initial baselines were found between the two groups were found. However, after the 18 training sessions, the mean NeuroTracker score for the noise group was 2.07 (SD = 0.24). In contrast the no noise group averaged significantly slower at 1.77 (SD = 0.32). Although studies show that noise can inhibit attentional processing, this study indicates that presence of the simulated crowd noise may enhance the ecological validity of NeuroTracker training for athlete populations.

Attention and concentration are crucial abilities that affect the decision-making of athletes; e.g. during a soccer action, an athlete has to divide attention on the field (teammates, opponents, ball), to use selective attention (which player to give the ball to) and to focus attention (staring at the net to score). To this purpose, many benefits may arise from the high-level NeuroTracker conditioning technique as it stimulates active processing of dynamic visual information and trains perceptual- cognitive functions of athletes. In particular, it targets selective, dynamic and sustained attention, as well as working memory.

23 university soccer players participated in the study and were randomly allocated to three different groups. Experimental group: performed 30 NeuroTracker Core sessions over a 5 week period Active control group: performed 30 3D soccer videos sessions over 5 week periodPassive control group: No particular training activity over a 5 week period.Players ’ decision-making was evaluated during standardized small sided games before and after the training period. Decision-making of soccer players was objectively analysed through video recordings of the small sided games by a soccer coach blinded to the experimental protocol and using a standardized coding criteria. Subjective decision-making accuracy was directly evaluated from players’ confidence levels in decision-making promptly after the games using a Visual Analog Scale (Sport Performance Scale).

Only the NeuroTracker trained group showed an increase (15%) in passing decision making on the field after the training. Moreover, players’ subjective decision-making assessment was quantitatively proportional to the improvement in decision-making accuracy rated during video analysis for theNeuroTracker trained group.These results seem to demonstrate that passing decision-making accuracy improvement in the trained group represents a meaningful training effect. For the first time, this study demonstrates a perceptual-cognitive transfer from the laboratory to the field following a non-sport specific perceptual-cognitive training program.

To evaluate perceptual cognitive abilities among male and female adolescents and determine if undiscovered gender differences in athletes’ perceptual cognitive abilities exist.

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40 nonathletes (20 boys and 20 girls) and 40 athletes (21 boys and 19 girls) aged 17-24 years old completed a short questionnaire about their sports practice. All participants then completed three NeuroTracker sessions.

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The findings confirm the superior perceptual cognitive abilities in young athletes relative to nonathletes. However, results also indicate differences in performance patterns between male and female athletes, with male athletes achieving the highest tracking speeds but female athletes showing faster adaptation to the task by the 3rd session. These results demonstrate that sports engagement and perceptual cognitive abilities are strongly related during adolescence and that this relationship seems more prevalent in athletes for this age group.

To investigate if an unsupervised remote NeuroTracker training intervention could subjectively improve performance outcomes with elite athletes across a range of different sports.

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54 elite athletes from boxing, wrestling, women’s handball, women’s soccer, orienteering, biathlon, alpine skiing, sled hockey, badminton and table tennis completed at least four NeuroTracker sessions per week over a 5 week period. The athletes trained independently from the researchers, using personal NeuroTracker accounts. They were also not given any instructions on the training, to avoid potential biases. All the athletes completed pre and post Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaires (7 point Likert scale), to self-assess their current performance status.

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Almost all the participants completed at least the minimum of 4 NeuroTracker sessions per week, indicating a high compliance. On average the athletes experienced an improvement in normalized NeuroTracker speed thresholds of 39% by the end of the 5 weeks. The results of Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaires showed an improvement from a rating of 18.9, to 19.2.

To investigate how perceptual–cognitive performance is affected during high-intensity interval training (HIIT) using NeuroTracker(NT) assessments.

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42 healthy adults were randomly assigned to an intervention (HIIT + NT, NT, HIIT) or control group. NT performance was measured pre-and post-test at 5, 15, and 25 min while running on a treadmill. The participants trained twice a week for a 4-week intervention period.

There was a significant interaction effect between pre/post-test and groups regarding perceptual-cognitive performance, indicating similar enhancements in the HIIT + NT and the NT group during exercise. HIIT influences physical fitness but did not show any impact on perceptual–cognitive performance. Overall training resulted in substantial task-specific gains. The researchers suggest combination training may be proposed as a training program to improve perceptual–cognitive, and physical performance in a time-efficient way.