ABSTRACT
When unicellular organisms evolved into multicellular organisms, systems co-evolved that allowed all the cells within the organism to function as a team rather than as individuals. ese systems are the endocrine system and the nervous system. In the context of sport, the key function of the nervous system is to learn and execute movements and to respond with movement to specific situations, such as a high ball in football or a sound during dancing. e complex movement sequences of whole limbs in gymnasts or very fine movements of small parts of the body, as in concert pianists, demonstrate the precision and complexity that can be achieved if talent (i.e. the genetic variants that determine trainability for motor skills) and intense training are combined. However, some neural circuits interfere with the motor systems of the brain and spinal cord: during penalties in a World Cup Final, emotion and crowd noise turn a simple penalty motor task into a difficult task.
