This archive report was first published on 18 December 2019.
Published in December 2019, a study in Sports Health revealed a fascinating aspect of the brains of athletes. Dr. Kraus, the researcher behind the study, discovered that athletes' brains are wired differently than those of non-athletes when it comes to sound processing.
By analyzing the brain wave readouts of athletes and non-athletes, Dr. Kraus found that almost all athletes were better at attending to specific sounds, such as the 'da' syllable, than non-athletes. Their brains were able to filter out background noise more effectively, allowing them to focus on the sound they wanted.
Dr. Kraus attributed this ability to the athletes' years of experience in filtering out clatter and focusing on crucial sounds. 'You have to be able to hear the coach yelling something or what a teammate is saying,' she explained. 'Brains change in response to that kind of repeated experience,' and the sound-processing components within the brain strengthen.
Interestingly, the study found that even athletes who participated in quiet sports, such as cross-country running and golf, had brains that were just as quiet as those of athletes who played noisy sports. Dr. Kraus suggested that regular movement of the body and fitness can also change the brain, allowing athletes to better focus on subtle sounds and signals.
