EEG-Based Comparison of Visual–Spatial Abilities Between Athletes and Sedentary Individuals

This study investigates the neural and cognitive differences between athletes and sedentary during mental rotation tasks using EEG and ERP analyses. Twenty participants, including ten athletes from sports emphasizing spatial manipulation and ten sedentary individuals, completed two mental rotation tasks with EEG data recorded from 31 channels. Data processing included ERP analysis for both x- and y-axis rotations, and spectral power analysis during decision-making. Results revealed that athletes showed significantly higher N100 ERP amplitudes in specific channels during x-axis rotations, suggesting heightened attentional and perceptual responses compared to sedentary individuals. Spectral power analysis did not reveal notable group differences during decision-making. Behavioral analysis also indicated that athletes had significantly lower error rates, pointing to superior mental rotation skills.These findings imply a cognitive benefit associated with sports participation in spatially demanding sports, highlighting the potential for neural adaptability and enhanced spatial abilities in athletes.