During the past week, much of the country has congregated around television screens to watch the NBA finals. As the Cleveland Cavaliers faced-off against the Golden State Warriors, it was clear to see that some of the best players in the world were competing on the court. While watching the finals, I was astounded by the greatness observed in players such Stephen Curry and Lebron James. In essence, they both achieved mastery in their respective discipline. For me, the question is, “How are they so good?” An answer lies in the field of Neuroscience.
Learning a motor skill changes the anatomical structure of the brain. Humans are able to conduct skilled movements even after training. The fact that this ability persists suggests that there are changes that endure in the brain after the encoding of a given motor skill. A classic example is that one is able to ride a bike after not doing so for an extended period of time. A region in the brain that changes due to motor skill learning is the primary motor cortex (PMC).
The PMC is primarily responsible for the execution of motor functions (i.e. walking) and is integral in the completion of both simple and complex movements. As one practices a given physical activity, the PMC restructures to meet the demands of that activity (Monfils et al., 2005; Pascual-Leone et al., 2005). This is especially true for those who are professional athletes.
Stephen Curry and Lebron James have dedicated an incredible amount of time to preparing their bodies for the strain of professional athletics. Eight months of basketball would be difficult on any body. In addition to their physical prowess, through hours of practice they also prepared their brains to execute the movements needed while on the court. So, when we remember the 30 foot jumpers or fast-break dunks, let us not just appreciate the outward display of athleticism, but also the brains that allowed for these incredible feats to happen in the first place.
In this season of Brains et al. we will investigate a variety of topics such as sports neuroscience, cognitive science of religion, mental health, and others. We seek to make neuroscience more accessible to everyone, regardless of background. If you are interested, be on the lookout for our podcast which first airs July 22, 2018.
Citations:
Monfils, M.H., Plautz, E.J., Kleim, J.A., 2005. In search of the motor engram: Motor map plasticity as a mechanism for encoding motor experience. Neuroscientist. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073858405278015
Pascual-Leone, A., Amedi, A., Fregni, F., Merabet, L.B., 2005. The Plastic Human Brain Cortex. Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 28, 377–401. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.neuro.27.070203.144216