From March 3 to 5, the Chair for Movement Sciences of Full Professor Dr. Joachim Hermsdörfer organized the 14th Conference from the Department of "Sport Motorics" of the German Association for Sport Sciences (DVS). Around 150 members participated. Among them were numerous students and staff from the faculty.
The congress was a full success. "Our topics contained many interesting aspects and also the key-note presentations from our international experts were exceptional", summarized Prof. Hermsdörfer.
Thematic diversity
His team had selected four thematic topics to fulfill the motto for the congress on "The Athlete's Brain": "The effects of craniocerebral trauma in sport", "motoric learning", "neuro-modulation" and a "presentation of the athlete's brain".
"We have built a bridge crossing various topics in order to cover a broad range of interests and to thereby incite the interest of those from the sports sciences concerned with training as well as also those who are primarily interested in the neurosciences", concluded Dr. Waltraut Stadler, who had organized the congress for the faculty.
Craniocerebral Trauma: 765 million dollars in financial compensation for ex-professionals from the NFL
Worldwide, the effects of craniocerebral traumas are being discussed. In the US, 4500 former pros from the National Football League (NFL) have sued for the payment of compensation. These professional athletes argued that the NFL had ignored the long-term risks stemming from frequent concussions which could possibly result in brain damage. In August, the NFL agreed to make a payment of 765 million dollars.
"There have been intensive scientific discussions concerning the extent to which smaller and larger traumas - that is to say those traumas involving a loss of consciousness and a loss of memory - might have effects and could provoke the development of illnesses", explains Professor Hermsdörfer. Debated here is such subsequent damage extending to the development of cerebral illnesses similar to Parkinson's disease.
Experts at the congress even considered the fact that even headers performed in children's soccer matches could have undesirable consequences. "This, however, has hardly been verified to date. Consequently, there has been a classical call for more science. I believe that our congress had a very stimulating effect on the topic of "craniocerebral traumas", and this had also been intended", explains Hermsdörfer.
The Athlete's Brain: Other structures of the brain
"The Athlete's Brain" was the motto on the agenda for the first time. "The question is whether the brain of an expert, for instance that of a professional athlete or even a musician, appears to be any different from the brain of a layperson", according to Hermsdörfer.From the structures of the brain, researchers hope to be able to detect talented individuals sooner, says Hermsdörfer.
Motoric learning: Differences in the lifespan
A further topic focused upon was motoric learning. "This involves times at which movement processes can be trained and when pauses or sleep are necessary, so that there are no interferences, that is no overlapping of learning processes", explains Hermsdörfer. This was discussed especially with regard to the background of a lifespan. After all, learning processes are different in adults and children. Whereas adolescents are rapidly seen develop stabilization processes after learning, this takes longer in adults. "The results of research seem to indicate that children learn very rapidly, but also on a broader basis and more or less unfiltered. Adults, on the other hand, learn more effectively", explains Stadler.
Neuro-modulation: Stimulating the brain using electricity or through magnetism
A discussion which could become explosive in the future is the development of neuro-modulation. Through electrical currents or magnetism, the brain can be stimulated and motoric learning processes can thereby be accelerated. "The mechanisms responsible for this effect are still unclear for the most part, but it is certain that this does indeed function to a certain degree", says Hermsdörfer.
Whether or not these processes will play a role in professional athletes is still unclear. "The performances of these athletes demand extremely trained brain processes. Many experts believe that neuro-modulation will no longer be effective here, but instead primarily for learning processes", as the professor on the Faculty for Movement Sciences has summarized.
Neuro-modulation as doping?
In the course of the congress, neuro-modulation was also discussed in relationship to doping. Experiences have repeatedly shown in the past that athletes are willing to take substances whose effects are unclear and unverified. "Neuro-modulation belongs in the hands of experts. Otherwise, serious damage might occur", warns Hermsdörfer.
To the Homepage of the Faculty for Movement Sciences
To the Homepage of the German Association for Sport Sciences
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Joachim Hermsdörfer
Faculty for Movement Sciences
Uptown Munich Campus D
Georg-Brauchle Ring 60/62
80992 Munich
Telephone: 089 289 24551
E-Mail: Joachim.Hermsdoerfer(at)tum.de