ABSTRACT
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to visualize the neuroanatomical regions responsible for processing information. Using fMRI, E Naito and S. Hirose found that the size and intensity of neural activity in the medial- wall foot motor regions differed across two professional football players, one amateur football players, and two top swimmers, despite identical foot movements. Long-term motor training may influence neural activation. In addition to changes in brain structure in both grey and white matter, there is evidence of functional changes related to athletic activity. The difference between athletic individuals and similarly aged sedentary controls, or athletes with different levels of expertise in a given sport. The mental imagery and mental rehearsal that precedes motor action in highly trained athletes are thought to differentiate them from novice athletes. Wei and Luo examined the pattern of activation in professional divers relative to controls during imagery related to diving as well as imagery related to simple motor skills.
