Abstract
NeuroFeedback Training (NFT) is a type of biofeedback training using Electroencephalogram (EEG) that allows the subjects to do self-regulation during the training according to their real-time brain activities. The purpose of this study is to optimize focused attention in expert rifle shooters with the use of NFT tools and to enhance shooting performance. We designed and implemented an experiment, conducted NFT sessions, and confirmed that NFT can boost performance of the shooters. The efficiency of the NFT was examined by comparing the shooters’ performance, their results of standardized tests of general cognitive abilities on the Vienna Test System (VTS), and the brain patterns in before and after NFT sessions. According to the results, we confirmed that NFT can be used to boost the shooters’ performance. EEG data were recorded during the shooting tasks. We extracted different types of EEG-based indexes and identified the emotion and mental workload levels of the shooters right before they pulled the trigger. These indexes and emotion/workload levels were then correlated with the shooting scores to understand what are the optimal brain states for “good” shots. According to the results, we confirmed that (1) mental workload level is negatively correlated with the shooting performance; (2) the correlations analyses results between EEG-based power features and shooting performance are consistent with the literature review results; (3) the difference of brain states in the before and after NFT shooting session could be because of NFT.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Burke, L.M., Gollan, R.A., Read, R.S.: Dietary intakes and food use of croups of elite Australian male athletes. Int. J. Sport Nutr. 1(4), 378–394 (1991)
Maughan, R., Shirreffs, S.: Development of hydration strategies to optimize performance for athletes in high-intensity sports and in sports with repeated intense efforts. Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sports 20(s2), 59–69 (2010)
Laursen, P.B.: Training for intense exercise performance: high-intensity or high-volume training? Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sports 20(s2), 1–10 (2010)
Laursen, P.B., et al.: Interval training program optimization in highly trained endurance cyclists. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 34(11), 1801–1807 (2002)
Hibbs, A.E., et al.: Optimizing performance by improving core stability and core strength. Sports Med. 38(12), 995–1008 (2008)
Birrer, D., Röthlin, P., Morgan, G.: Mindfulness to enhance athletic performance: theoretical considerations and possible impact mechanisms. Mindfulness 3(3), 235–246 (2012)
Mamassis, G., Doganis, G.: The effects of a mental training program on juniors pre-competitive anxiety, self-confidence, and tennis performance. J. Appl. Sport Psychol. 16(2), 118–137 (2004)
Liu, Y., et al.: Neurofeedback training for rifle shooters to improve cognitive ability. In: 2017 International Conference on Cyberworlds (2017)
Liu, Y., Sourina, O.: Real-time subject-dependent EEG-based emotion recognition algorithm. In: Gavrilova, M.L., Tan, C.J.K., Mao, X., Hong, L. (eds.) Transactions on Computational Science XXIII. LNCS, vol. 8490, pp. 199–223. Springer, Heidelberg (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43790-2_11
Lim, W.L., et al.: EEG-based mental workload recognition related to multitasking. In: Proceeding of the International Conference on Information, Communications and Signal Processing (ICICS) (2015)
Sanei, S., Chambers, J.A.: Brain rhythms. In: EEG Signal Processing, pp. 10–13. Wiley, Cardiff (2007)
Becerra, J., et al.: Neurofeedback in healthy elderly human subjects with electroencephalographic risk for cognitive disorder. J. Alzheimer’s Dis. 28(2), 357–367 (2012)
Lubar, J.F.: Neurofeedback for the management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. In: Biofeedback: A Practitioner’s Guide, 2nd edn., pp. 493–522. Guilford Press, New York (1995)
Clarke, A.R., et al.: Electroencephalogram differences in two subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Psychophysiology 38(2), 212–221 (2001)
Egner, T., Gruzelier, J.H.: EEG biofeedback of low beta band components: frequency-specific effects on variables of attention and event-related brain potentials. Clin. Neurophysiol. Off. J. Int. Fed. Clin. Neurophysiol. 115(1), 131–139 (2004)
Rostami, R., et al.: The effects of neurofeedback on the improvement of rifle shooters’ performance. J. Neurother. 16(4), 264–269 (2012)
Liu, Y., Hou, X., Sourina, O., Bazanova, O.: Individual theta/beta based algorithm for neurofeedback games to improve cognitive abilities. In: Gavrilova, M.L., Tan, C.J.K., Iglesias, A., Shinya, M., Galvez, A., Sourin, A. (eds.) Transactions on Computational Science XXVI. LNCS, vol. 9550, pp. 57–73. Springer, Heidelberg (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49247-5_4
Di Fronso, S., et al.: Neural markers of performance states in an Olympic athlete: an EEG case study in air-pistol shooting. J. Sports Sci. Med. 15(2), 214 (2016)
Kim, W., et al.: A comparison of cortico-cortical communication during air-pistol shooting in elite disabled and non-disabled shooters. Pers. Individ. Differ. 54(8), 946–950 (2013)
Wang, Y., Huang, T.: Effects of neurofeedback training on EEG and pistol shooting performance. In: Conference for Chinese Society of Sport Psychology, Wuhan, China (2006)
Kerick, S.E., Douglass, L.W., Hatfield, B.D.: Cerebral cortical adaptations associated with visuomotor practice. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 36(1), 118–129 (2004)
Mikicin, M.: The autotelic involvement of attention induced by EEG neurofeedback training improves the performance of an athlete’s mind. Biomed. Hum. Kinet. 7(1), 58–65 (2015)
Paul, M., Ganesan, S., Sandhu, J.S.: Effect of sensory motor rhythm neurofeedback on psycho-physiological, electro-encephalographic measures and performance of archery players. Ibnosina J. Med. Biomed. Sci. 4(2), 32–39 (2011)
Babiloni, C., et al.: Golf putt outcomes are predicted by sensorimotor cerebral EEG rhythms. J. Physiol. 586(1), 131–139 (2008)
Ring, C., et al.: Investigating the efficacy of neurofeedback training for expediting expertise and excellence in sport. Psychol. Sport Exerc. 16, 118–127 (2015)
Nan, W., et al.: Beta/Theta neurofeedback training effects in physical balance of healthy people. In: Jaffray, D.A. (ed.) World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering. IPMBE, vol. 51, pp. 1213–1216. Springer, Cham (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19387-8_294
Arns, M., Conners, C.K., Kraemer, H.C.: A decade of EEG theta/beta ratio research in ADHD: a meta-analysis. J. Atten. Disord. 17(5), 374–383 (2013)
Hamadicharef, B., et al.: Learning EEG-based spectral-spatial patterns for attention level measurement. In: IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, ISCAS 2009. IEEE (2009)
Gevensleben, H., et al.: Distinct EEG effects related to neurofeedback training in children with ADHD: a randomized controlled trial. Int. J. Psychophysiol. 74(2), 149–157 (2009)
Bazanova, O., Aftanas, L.: Individual EEG alpha activity analysis for enhancement neurofeedback efficiency: two case studies. J. Neurother. 14(3), 244–253 (2010)
Liu, Y., Sourina, O., Hou, X.: Neurofeedback games to improve cognitive abilities. In: 2014 International Conference on Cyberworlds (CW) (2014)
ViennaTest. http://www.schuhfried.com/viennatestsystem10/vienna-test-system-vts/
Emotiv. http://www.emotiv.com
Bazanova, O., Aftanas, L.: Individual measures of electroencephalogram alpha activity and non-verbal creativity. Neurosci. Behav. Physiol. 38(3), 227–235 (2008)
Turin, A., Johnson, W.G.: Biofeedback therapy for migraine headaches. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry 33(4), 517–519 (1976)
Fumoto, M., et al.: Appearance of high-frequency alpha band with disappearance of low-frequency alpha band in EEG is produced during voluntary abdominal breathing in an eyes-closed condition. Neurosci. Res. 50(3), 307–317 (2004)
Lehrer, P.M., Vaschillo, E., Vaschillo, B.: Resonant frequency biofeedback training to increase cardiac variability: rationale and manual for training. Appl. Psychophysiol. Biofeedback 25(3), 177–191 (2000)
Caldwell, J.A., Prazinko, B., Caldwell, J.L.: Body posture affects electroencephalographic activity and psychomotor vigilance task performance in sleep-deprived subjects. Clin. Neurophysiol. 114(1), 23–31 (2003)
Bazanova, O., Vernon, D.: Interpreting EEG alpha activity. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. (2013)
Vernon, D., et al.: Alpha neurofeedback training for performance enhancement: reviewing the methodology. J. Neurother. 13(4), 214–227 (2009)
Hoedlmoser, K., et al.: Preparatory EEG spectral power and coherence in biathlon rifle shooting: a pilot study. In: 3rd International Congress on Science and Nordic Skiing (2015)
Acknowledgement
This research is supported by the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore under its International Research Centres in Singapore Funding Initiative. We would like to acknowledge the final year project students of School of EEE of Nanyang Technological University and personally Jessica Kathryn Liddon for her contribution in this work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Liu, Y., Harihara Subramaniam, S.C., Sourina, O., Shah, E., Chua, J., Ivanov, K. (2018). NeuroFeedback Training for Enhancement of the Focused Attention Related to Athletic Performance in Elite Rifle Shooters. In: Gavrilova, M., Tan, C., Sourin, A. (eds) Transactions on Computational Science XXXII. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 10830. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-56672-5_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-56672-5_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-662-56671-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-662-56672-5
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)