The Effect of Posture on Cognitive Function in Early Adolescence Athletes

Cognitive Function, Posture

While previous studies focused on the motor system in the analysis of postural functions, recently many researchers have determined that the sensory-cognitive-motor network system is required to determine the correctness of an action. , stroke individuals, Alzheimer's patients, Parkinson's disease, individuals with multiple sclerosis were discussed. In line with these studies, we can say that posture is handled with cognitive skills in people whose physical performance has decreased. However, the relationship between cognitive skills and posture in individuals with high physical performance has been ignored. Understanding posture and cognitive mechanisms is important both for physiotherapists who deal with posture from the neurophysiological aspect and for those who work in the field of psychology who deal with cognitive skills with its psychosocial aspect. The aim of the study is to reveal the relationship between posture and cognitive skills evaluated using the Stroop Test in healthy athletes in early adolescence.

One of the important neuropsychological tests in evaluating cognitive performance is the Stroop Test. Basically, it evaluates the concentration and maintenance of attention depending on the time and the task given. It can also reveal the disruptive effects of perceptions on each other. The most interesting effect of the test is that it relates to changing the perception target or perceptual setup (set). It reveals the ease with which one's perceptual setup can be changed in line with changing demands and especially under a disruptive influence, the ability to suppress a habitual behavior pattern and to engage in an unusual behavior. These are about flexibility and perceptual setup, attention and behavior shifting abilities. In cases where this ability is insufficient, perseverative, stereotypical, non-adaptive behaviors and difficulties in regulating and controlling motor movements occur. Accordingly, Stroop Test performance reflects the individual's degree of cognitive rigidity-flexibility. These functions are basically related to the frontal lobe activities of the brain. As a matter of fact, excessive impairments in such functions and in the ability to program behavior in general directly indicate a disorder in the frontal regions of the brain. It is stated that the Stroop test is also suitable for examining information-processing speed, automatic and parallel processing in cognitive processes. Indeed, the Stroop Test; It is a critical experimental task often used in the study of information processing speed and automatic and parallel processing models. When the literature is examined, the Stroop Test, which deals with the concept of 'mental flexibility', which is an important pillar of cognitive functions, is evaluated as a short-term standing or sitting posture only during the application of the test, while the possible effect of posture on cognitive functions was ignored by examining the normal postures of individuals. Revealing the relationship between posture and cognitive skills depending on brain areas is important for creating rehabilitation strategies. Revealing the connection between posture and cognitive level will not only reveal the positive effect of postural correlation on cognitive skills, but will also guide the importance of posture assessment in individuals with cognitive disorders.

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