Investigation of Working Memory Responses in Recreational Athletes Using Virtual Reality Assessment System

Yıl 2024, Cilt: 10 Sayı: 3, 136 - 144, 30.09.2024

Goksen Cinar , Adil Deniz Duru

https://doi.org/10.18826/useeabd.1475291

Öz

Aim: This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between N-Back, a valid working memory task frequently used in cognitive psychology research, and a more ecological working memory measurement tool designed for VR, and the differences in terms of athlete performance.
Methods: N-Back (verbal and visual) and VR-ATC tasks were applied to 20 recreational and 20 sedentary individuals with consistent age and education levels. VR-ATC tasks include different tasks delivered on a total of 4 screens. The N-Back task used visual-spatial and auditory-verbal stimuli at three difficulty levels (1-back, 2-back, 3-back) as WM validation. The relationship between the results obtained from VR-ATC and N-Back scores was evaluated with the Spearman Correlation test, and the results of the athlete groups from these tests were evaluated with the Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical significance level was accepted as p<0.05.
Results: Spearman correlation revealed a moderate-low significant negative correlation between Verbal WM Capacity from VR-ATC and verbal N-Back 1 errors (r=-0.377; p=0.017) and impulsive errors (r=-0.379; p=0.016). Mann-Whitney U test indicated that recreational athletes performed significantly better in Verbal WM Capacity- Item Number (U=116.0, p=0.023), Verbal WM Capacity-Retention (U=96.0, p=0.004), and WM Efficiency-Task Switching Speed (U=105.0, p=0.009) compared to sedentary individuals.
Conclusion: Although there are many studies evaluating the cognitive performance of athletes with traditional or computer-based tests, they have limitations because they do not reflect daily life functions. Our study showed that an ecological working memory task, that is, a working memory task that is more integrated with daily life, better separates groups of athletes, even though it is related to traditional tasks. In this sense, VR-ATC can be considered as an alternative approach to assess athlete performances.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Virtual reality, Recreation, Working memory

Etik Beyan

Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Clinical Research Ethics Committee - 09.2024.138

Teşekkür

Neo Auvra Digital Health and Bionic Technologies and Services Industry and Trade Inc.

Rekreasyonel Atletlerde Sanal Gerçeklik Değerlendirme Sistemi Kullanılarak Çalışma Belleği Tepkilerinin Araştırılması

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışma bilişsel psikoloji araştırmalarında sıklıkla kullanılan geçerli bir çalışma belleği görevi olan N-Back ile VR için tasarlanmış daha ekolojik bir çalışma belleği ölçüm aracı arasındaki ilişkiyi ve atlet performansları açısından farklarını değerlendirmek için hazırlanmıştır.
Yöntem: Yaş ve eğitim düzeyi tutarlı 20 rekreasyonel ve 20 sedanter atlete N-Back (sözel ve görsel) ile VR-ATC görevleri uygulanmıştır. VR-ATC 4 ekrandan farklı görevlere sahiptir. N-Back görevi, WM doğrulaması olarak üç zorluk seviyesinde (1-back, 2-back, 3-back) görsel-uzamsal ve işitsel-sözel uyaranlar kullanmıştır. VR-ATC’den elde edilen sonuçlar ile N-Back skorları arasındaki ilişki Spearman Korelasyon testi, atlet gruplarının bu testlerden aldığı sonuçlar ise Mann-Whitney U testi ile değerlendirilmiştir. İstatistiksel anlamlılık düzeyi p<0,05 olarak kabul edilmiştir.
Bulgular: Spearman korelasyonu, VR-ATC'den elde edilen Sözel WM Kapasitesi ile sözel N-Back 1 hataları (r=-0.377; p=0.017) ve dürtüsel hatalar (r=-0.379; p=0.016) arasında orta-düşük düzeyde anlamlı negatif korelasyon olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Mann-Whitney U testi, rekreasyonel sporcuların Sözel WM Kapasitesi- Madde Sayısı (U=116.0, p=0.023), Sözel WM Kapasitesi- Akılda Tutma (U=96.0, p=0.004) ve WM Verimliliği- Görev Değiştirme Hızında (U=105.0, p=0.009) sedanter bireylere kıyasla anlamlı derecede daha iyi performans gösterdiğini ortaya koymuştur.
Sonuç: Atletlerin bilişsel performanslarını geleneksel veya bilgisayar tabanlı testler ile değerlendiren çalışmalar fazla olsa da günlük yaşam işlevlerini yansıtmadığı için sınırlılıklara sahiptir. Araştırmamız ekolojik yani günlük yaşam ile daha entegre olan bir çalışma belleği görevinin geleneksel görevler ile ilişkili olsa da atlet gruplarını daha iyi ayırdığını göstermiştir. Bu anlamda, VR-ATC atlet performanslarını değerlendirmede alternatif bir yaklaşım olarak düşünülebilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Sanal gerçeklik, Rekreasyon, Çalışma belleği

Kaynakça

• Aksoy, M., Ufodiama, C. E., Bateson, A. D., Martin, S. & Asghar, A. U. (2021). A comparative experimental study of visual brain event-related potentials to a working memory task: virtual reality head-mounted display versus a desktop computer screen. Experimental Brain Research, 239, 3007-3022.
• Ayhan, C. (2022). Serbest zaman ilgilenimi, rekreasyonel akış deneyimi, rekreasyonel fayda ve serbest zaman tatmininin tekrar katılım niyeti üzerine etkisi (Yayınlanmamış Doktora Tezi). Sakarya Uygulamalı Bilimler Üniversitesi, Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü, Sakarya.
• Baddeley, A. (2003). Working memory: Looking back and looking forward. Nature reviews neuroscience, 4(10), 829-839.
• Brick, N. E., Campbell, M. J., Sheehan, R. B., Fitzpatrick, B. L. & MacIntyre, T. E. (2020). Metacognitive processes and attentional focus in recreational endurance runners. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 18(3), 362-379.
• Chaytor, N. & Schmitter-Edgecombe, M. (2003). The ecological validity of neuropsychological tests: A review of the literature on everyday cognitive skills. Neuropsychology review, 13(4), 181-197.
• Crottaz-Herbette, S., Anagnoson, R. T. & Menon, V. (2004). Modality effects in verbal working memory: differential prefrontal and parietal responses to auditory and visual stimuli. Neuroimage, 21(1), 340-351.
• Engle, R. W. (2002). Working memory capacity as executive attention. Current directions in psychological science, 11(1), 19-23.
• Faria, F., Howe, C., Faria, R., Andaki, A., Marins, J. C. & Amorim, P. R. (2020). Impact of recreational sports activities on metabolic syndrome components in adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(1), 143.
• Gould C. E., Ma F., Loup J. R., Juang C., Sakai E. Y. & Pepin R. (2020). Technology-based mental health assessment and intervention. In: Handbook of mental health and aging (pp. 401-415). Academic Press.
• Heppe, H., Kohler, A., Fleddermann, M. T. & Zentgraf, K. (2016). The relationship between expertise in sports, visuospatial, and basic cognitive skills. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 904.
• Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I. & Kramer, A. F. (2008). Be smart, exercise your heart: exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nature reviews neuroscience, 9(1), 58-65.
• Howieson, D. (2019). Current limitations of neuropsychological tests and assessment procedures. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 33(2), 200-208.
• Jaeggi, S. M., Buschkuehl, M., Perrig, W. J. & Meier, B. (2010). The concurrent validity of the N-back task as a working memory measure. Memory, 18(4), 394-412.
• Lower, L. M., Turner, B. A. & Petersen, J. C. (2013). A comparative analysis of perceived benefits of participation between recreational sport programs. Recreational Sports Journal, 37(1), 66-83.
• Mannan, F. A., Porffy, L. A., Joyce, D. W., Shergill, S. S. & Celiktutan, O. (2023). Automatic Detection of Cognitive Impairment with Virtual Reality. Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 23(2), 1026.
• Martens, M. A., Antley, A., Freeman, D., Slater, M., Harrison, P. J. & Tunbridge, E. M. (2019). It feels real: physiological responses to a stressful virtual reality environment and its impact on working memory. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 33(10), 1264-1273.
• Morentin, B., Suárez-Mier, M. P., Monzó, A., Ballesteros, J., Molina, P. & Lucena, J. (2021). Sports-related sudden cardiac death in Spain. A multicenter, population-based, forensic study of 288 cases. Revista Española de Cardiología (English Edition), 74(3), 225-232.
• Neguț, A., Matu, S. A., Sava, F. A. & David, D. (2016). Virtual reality measures in neuropsychological assessment: a meta-analytic review. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 30(2), 165-184.
• Önen, L. (2023). Üniversite öğrencilerinin serbest zaman motivasyonları ile rekreasyonel etkinliklere katılımına engel olan faktörlerin incelenmesi (Yayınlanmamış Yüksek Lisans Tezi). Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Konya.
• Henchy, A. (2011). The influence of campus recreation beyond the gym. Recreational Sports Journal, 35(2), 174-181.
• Parsey, C. M. & Schmitter-Edgecombe, M. (2013). Applications of technology in neuropsychological assessment. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 27(8), 1328-1361.
• Porffy, L. A., Mehta, M. A., Patchitt, J., Boussebaa, C., Brett, J., D’Oliveira, T., ... & Shergill, S. S. (2022). A novel virtual reality assessment of functional cognition: Validation study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(1), e27641.
• Rizzo, A. A., Schultheis, M., Kerns, K. A. & Mateer, C. (2004). Analysis of assets for virtual reality applications in neuropsychology. Neuropsychological rehabilitation, 14(1-2), 207-239.
• Scharfen, H. E. & Memmert, D. (2019). Measurement of cognitive functions in experts and elite athletes: A meta‐analytic review. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 33(5), 843-860.
• Snodgrass, J. G. & Corwin, J. (1988). Pragmatics of measuring recognition memory: applications to dementia and amnesia. Journal of experimental psychology: General, 117(1), 34.
• Suni, J., Husu, P. & Rinne, M. (2009). Fitness for health: the ALPHA-FIT test battery for adults aged 18–69. Tester’s Manual. Tampare, Finland: Published by European Union DS, and the UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research.
• Vaughan, R. S. & Laborde, S. (2021). Attention, working-memory control, working-memory capacity, and sport performance: The moderating role of athletic expertise. European Journal of Sport Science, 21(2), 240-249.
• Vella, S. A. & Swann, C. (2021). Time for mental healthcare guidelines for recreational sports: A call to action. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 55(4), 184-185.
• Wouters H., van Campen J., Appels B., Lindeboom R., Buiter M., de Haan R. J. et al. (2011). Does adaptive cognitive testing combine efficiency with precision? Prospective findings. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 25(4), 595-603.
• Zilles, D., Lewandowski, M., Vieker, H., Henseler, I., Diekhof, E., Melcher, T. et al. (2016). Gender differences in verbal and visuospatial working memory performance and networks. Neuropsychobiology, 73(1), 52-63.