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Use of Biotechnological Devices in the Quantification of Psychophysiological Workload of Professional Chess Players

Authors:
Juan Pedro Fuentes at University of Extremadura
Juan Pedro Fuentes
Santos Villafaina at University of Extremadura
Santos Villafaina
Daniel Collado-Mateo at Rey Juan Carlos University
Daniel Collado-Mateo
Ricardo De la Vega at Autonomous University of Madrid
Ricardo De la Vega
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Psychophysiological requirements of chess players are poorly understood, and periodization of training is often made without any empirical basis. For this reason, the aim of the present study was to investigate the psychophysiological response and quantify the player internal load during, and after playing a chess game. The participant was an elite 33 year-old male chess player ranked among the 300 best chess players in the world. Thus, cortical arousal by critical flicker fusion threshold, electroencephalogram by the theta Fz/alpha Pz ratio and autonomic modulation by heart rate variability were analyzed. Data revealed that cortical arousal by critical flicker fusion threshold and theta Fz/alpha Pz ratio increased and heart rate variability decreased during chess game. All these changes indicated that internal load increased during the chess game. In addition, pre-activation was detected in pre-game measure, suggesting that the prefrontal cortex might be preparatory activated. For these reasons, electroencephalogram, critical flicker fusion threshold and heart rate variability analysis may be highly applicable tools to control and monitor workload in chess player.
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... Panel B shows chess games topographic maps in alpha power spectrum(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). Panel C shows chess games topographic maps in beta power spectrum(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30). ...
Are there neurophysiological differences behind the play of different chess modalities?: An international grandmaster case study
Article
  • Jul 2022
  • PHYSIOL BEHAV
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The speed of sight: Individual variation in critical flicker fusion thresholds
Article
Full-text available
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Article
Full-text available
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death globally. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs’ benefits are overall consensual; however, during exercise, progressive physiological effects have not been studied yet in cardiac patients. Our study aims to analyze physiological parameters of thermography, heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure, central nervous system (CNS) fatigue, and cortical arousal in heart attack patients (HAP) who belong to CR programs of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Moderate-intensity Continuous Training (MICT) compared to healthy participants. In this case control study, two HAP patients (both male, age 35 and 48, respectively) and two healthy people (both male, age 38 and 46, respectively) were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1:1 allocation ratio to one of four groups: cardiac MICT, cardiac HIIT, control MICT, and control HIIT. The HIIT at ≈85–95% of peak heart rate (HR) was followed by a one-minute recovery interval at 40% peakHR, and MICT at ≈70–75% of peakHR. Outcome measurements included thermography, HRV, blood pressure, CNS fatigue, and cortical arousal; The HAP presents more than twice the CNS fatigue in MICT than control participants, but HIIT has almost the same CNS fatigue in HAP and control. In addition, both of the HAP groups presented higher temperatures in the chest. The HIIT protocol showed better physiological responses during exercise, compared to MICT in HAP.
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Competitive sports involve physiological, technical and psychological skills, which influence directly on individuals’ performance. This study aims to investigate the levels of perceived stress and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) before and after matches with victory and defeat in professional eSports athletes. Our hypothesis was that the winners would have better autonomic and stress responses after match, thus corroborating the literature on neurocardiac connections. Fifty male eSport players were selected players from 10 different Brazilian teams. The experiment was carried out in 2 sessions. Firstly, after signing the informed consent form, 24 h before the game, anthropometric, physical activity levels and time of expertise data were recorded only for sample characterization and the players were familiarized with the perceived stress scale—10 (PSS-10) and the HRV measurements. Secondly, players performed the PSS-10 and HRV recording at rest by 10 min 60 and 30 min before the game (i.e., baseline time) and 10 min after the end of the game. Overall, concerning PSS-10 our findings show that VG had significant reduced scores in post-game time compared to baseline (BL) and pre-game times, while DG had significant increased scores in post-game time compared to BL and pre-game times. Regarding HRV, our results demonstrate that VG had significant increase in RR, SDNN, rMSSD, pNN50 and HF, and significant decrease in LF and LF/HF, while DG had a significant decrease in RR, SDNN, rMSSD and HF, and significant increase in LF and LF/HF. It was observed that VG had better HRV responses (greater parasympathetic activation) as well as lower levels of perceived stress, while DG had worst HRV responses (greater sympathetic activation) and higher levels of perceived stress.
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... play [19]. Being considered a sport requiring massive psychophysiological efforts from players exposed to unusually high stress and cognitive load [20], chess is supposed to adapt to cope with hardships. Prior neuropsychological studies have shown the benefits of chess practice in executive functions, facilitating the adaptation to complex, non-routine situations [21]. ...
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... However, since mental fatigue only remained elevated in a certain period (≥50 min) following the 45-min Stroop task , to maintain the validity and reliability of the experiment, the tool (VAS) with a minimum time requirement was used. Nevertheless, future studies may try to employ objective indicators to assess mental fatigue, such as HRV, for it is modified by cognitive and attentional activities in sports (e.g., chess) (Fuentes et al., 2018;Fuentes-García et al., 2019). Also, there are valid tools that can be used to monitor the psychological condition conveniently, such as fatigue evaluation app (De La Vega et al., 2021a) and online evaluation platform (Reigal et al., 2020). ...
Nature Scenes Counter Mental Fatigue-Induced Performance Decrements in Soccer Decision-Making
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Full-text available
  • Apr 2022
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... Previous studies in military population showed a decrease in cortical arousal [38,39] which has been considered a symptom of fatigue in CNS, reflected by the increase in CFFT values [40]. Furthermore, similar results have been observed after other high intensity activities such as simulated combat or tactical parachute jumps, or even activities with high cognitive requirement [40,41] such as chess [42,43]. A previous investigation hypothesized this could be due to the increase in sympathetic nervous system activation produced in the HIIT that can induce a greater number of cortex efferences to muscles [44]. ...
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  • Apr 2022
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A study on the attention of people with low vision to accessibility guidance signs
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  • Oct 2023
The function of accessibility guide signs is to convey information to users. The key to designing accessibility guide signs is to improve the efficiency with which they convey information. In this paper, 16 subjects were recruited to study their attentional status when faced with different forms of accessibility sign design by setting up two sets of comparison tests. The subjects watched six videos containing different sign designs with different lighting effects to compare their attention to the different sign designs. We collected the participants' eye-movement, EEG, and HRV data during the experiment, and the PSSUQ questionnaire was administered. The data showed that subjects could quickly attend to the processed signs but did not show significant differences in brain responses. Among the study variables, there were significant differences in the effects of different light frequencies on subjects' attention. Study results suggest that designers can consider the existing sign designs for public places and add richer visual information to the designs, thus improving the efficiency of information transmission.
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Full-text available
  • May 2023
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Combat Stress Decreases Memory of Warfighters in Action
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Full-text available
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Psychophysiological Response and Fine Motor Skills in High-Altitude Parachute Jumps
Article
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Psychophysiological response to acute‐high‐stress combat situations in professional soldiers
Article
  • Aug 2017
  • STRESS HEALTH
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Article
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This paper describes the analysis and design of a cognitive emotional assesment model. This model is based on the goals looked for a chess player during a game. The model affects the output of the board evaluation function of a computational agent which plays chess, giving more weight to aspects related to the most urgent goals, according to the context. Thus, it perceives environment changes, and consequently changes its choice of the next play. The aim is that the computational agent incorporates into the decision making process, the emotional state and choose the plays based on that state. For that purpose were used tools of cognitive psychology and soft computing in order to simulate emotion, and affect the agent’s behavior computer.
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The Application of Cortical Arousal Assessment to Control Neuromuscular Fatigue During Strength Training
Article
  • Nov 2016
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The author's aim was to analyze the cortical arousal response during a conventional strength training session as a method to assess central nervous system fatigue. Sixteen trained men were recruited to perform the maximum number of training series composed of 6 exercises of 10 repetition each, at the intensity of 70% of the 1 maximum repetition, with a rest period of 2 min between exercises and 5 min between series, until exhaustion. Cortical arousal was measured using the critical flicker fusion threshold before, after warm-up, after each exercises series, after the recovery phase between series, and 15 min and 30 min after finishing the training session. Participants could not finish the fourth series of exercise, corresponding with a significant decrease of cortical arousal respect to the warm-up value. The assessment of cortical arousal using CFFT during a strength training session could be a fast and efficient method for assessing central nervous fatigue. Practically, coaches could modify the training protocol according to the individual cortical arousal response in order to improve training efficiency and prevent injuries.
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Psycho-physiological response in an automatic parachute jump
Article
  • Oct 2016
Parachute jump is an extreme activity that elicits an intense stress response that affects jumpers’ body systems being able to put them at risk. The present research analysed modifications in blood oxygen saturation (BOS), heart rate (HR), cortisol, glucose, lactate, creatine kinase (CK), muscles strength, cortical arousal, autonomic modulation, pistol magazine reload time (PMRT) and state anxiety before and after an automatic open parachute jump in 38 male Spanish soldiers (25.6 ± 5.9 years). A MANOVA with samples as a fixed factor and Effect Size (ES) were conducted. MANOVA showed (Wilks lambda = .225; F = 5.980; P = .000) a significantly increase in cortisol (6.2 ± 3.2 vs. 8.2 ± 4.3 nmol/l; P = .025; ES = .47), HR (75.0 ± 14.6 vs. 87.4 ± 17.3 bpm; P = .004; ES = .72), lactate (1.8 ± 1.2 vs. 4.4 ± 2.2 mmol · l⁻¹; P = .002; ES = 1.18), sympathetic nervous system and leg strength manifestation after the parachute jump. By contrary BOS, PMRT (55.6 ± 27.6 vs. 48.0 ± 16.7 s; P = .021; ES = .46) and somatic anxiety (SA), evaluated by CSAI2R questionnaire, decreased. An automatic parachute jump increased physiological and cortical response and decreased SA of participants. This stress response can affect the jumpers’ abilities and allow us to have a better understanding of the organism stress response and to improve training for both military and sport parachute jumps.
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Experience modulates the psychophysiological response of airborne warfighters during a tactical combat parachute jump
Article
  • Jul 2016
We aimed to analyse the effect of experience level in the psychophysiological response and specific fine motor skills of novel and expert parachute warfighters during a tactical combat parachute jump. We analysed blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, salivary cortisol, blood glucose, lactate and creatinkinase, leg strength, isometric hand-grip strength, cortical arousal, specific fine motor skills and cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and self-confident before and after a tactical combat parachute jump in 40 warfighters divided in two group, novel (n=17) and expert group (n=23). Novels presented a higher heart rate, lactate, cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety and a lower self-confident than experts during the jump. We concluded that experience level has a direct effect on the psychophysiological response since novel paratroopers presented a higher psychophysiological response than compared to the expert ones, however this result neither affected the specific fine motor skills nor the muscle structure after a tactical combat parachute jump.
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Fatigue of the nervous system after an incremental test to maximal oxygen UPTAKE
Article
  • May 2010
Several authors have studied the influence of exercise on the nervous system and cognitive functioning in untrained subjects (Bobon, et al., 1982, Li, et al., 2004) and different exercises from anaerobic exercise intense exercise to exhaustion at sub-maximal endurance exercise (Davranche and Audifren, 2004, Gibson and Noakes, 2004; Presland, et al., 2005) using the Ricker Fusion Threshold (UFF). No studies have investigated the effects of exercises in which VO 2max is reached on the central nervous system. The purpose of this study is examine changes in Flicker Fusion thresholds before and after perform an incremental test to exhaustion on that reached the maximum oxygen consumption (VO 2max) as a means to evaluate the central nervous system fatigue. 30 cyclists (71.6±8.6 kg, 175.8±8.1 cm, 25.2±9.5 years, 14.7±4.3% fat, VO 2max on 60.8±6.5 ml/kg/min VO 2max absolute: 4.3±.51) were tested in an incremental test to determine VO 2max in cycle ergometer (starting at 100W with 50W increments every minute until complete fatigue, subjects performed warming from 5' to 75W). The variables (UFF upward, downward and classic, the subjective test and sensory sensitivity) were measured pretest and postest. Each subject performed the test three times and obtaining an average value. The results showed no significant differences in UFF; therefore there is no decrease in sensory sensitivity and an increased level of cortical activation. These results suggest that an incremental test to reach VO 2max cycle ergometer does not generate fatigue in the central nervous system evaluated with Flicker Fusion and don't alter cognitive function.
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Using a dry electrode EEG device during balance tasks in healthy young-adult males: Test-retest reliability analysis
Article
  • Sep 2015
Background: The analysis of the brain activity during balance is an important topic in different science fields. Given that all measurements involve an error that is caused by different agents, like the instrument, the researcher, or the natural human variability, a test-retest reliability evaluation of the electroencephalographic assessment is a needed starting point. However, there is a lack of information about the reliability of electroencephalographic measurements, especially in a new wireless device with dry electrodes. Objective: The current study aims to analyze the reliability of electroencephalographic measurements from a wireless device using dry electrodes during two different balance tests. Method: Seventeen healthy male volunteers performed two different static balance tasks on a Biodex Balance Platform: a) with two feet on the platform, and b) with one foot on the platform. Electroencephalographic data was recorded by using Enobio (Neuroelectrics). The mean power spectrum of the alpha band of the central and frontal channels were calculated. Relative and absolute indices of reliability were also calculated. Results: In general terms, the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) values of all the assessed channels can be classified as excellent (>.90). The percentage Standard Error of Measurement oscillated from 0.54% to 1.02% and the percentage Smallest Real Difference ranged from 1.50% to 2.82%. Conclusion: Electroencephalographic assessment through Enobio device during balance tasks has an excellent reliability. However, its utility was not demonstrated because responsiveness was not assessed. http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/mHhpfMxtfJEknqqIBsGq/full
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