Characteristics of executive control network function based on a lateralized version of the ANT-R test in athletes from open skill sports: An fNIRS study

The purpose of the study was to investigate the executive control network function characteristics of interceptive and strategic sports athletes from open skill sports. In order to do so, we used a revised lateralized attention network task to measure executive control efficiency and activation related to flanker interference changes on the right frontoparietal network using functional near-infrared spectroscopy in athletes from different sport sub-categories. Strategic athletes had higher accuracy and lower flanker conflict effects on accuracy, as well as longer reaction time and stronger conflict effects under the valid cue and invalid cue conditions. This was accompanied by higher activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus. These results extend the evidence suggesting that differences among interceptive sports and strategic sports athletes are due to the former using higher velocities to solve conflicts, and the latter using higher accuracy in the same tasks. These effects are attributed to differences in the right frontoparietal network.