Comparison of Electroencephalogram Power Spectrum Characteristics of Left and Right Dragon Boat Athletes after 1 km of Rowing

• DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12121621
• Publication Date: 2022-11-28T08:28:49Z
• Authors: Yan Zhang; Hongke Jiang; Wu Zhou; Yingying Cao; Changzhuan Shao; Jing Song; Aiping Chi
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; dragon boat; EEG; power spectrum; hemispheric asymmetry; dragon boat; hemispheric asymmetry; Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry; EEG; power spectrum; Article; RC321-571

Purpose: This study aimed to detect differences in post-exercise brain activity between the left and right paddlers due to exercise by analyzing the resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectrum before and after exercise. Methods: Twenty-one right paddlers and twenty-two left paddlers completed a 1 km all-out test on a dragon boat ergometer, and their heart rate and exercise time were recorded. EEG signals were collected from superficial brain layers before and after exercise; then, the EEG power spectrum was extracted and compared in different frequency bands. In addition, the degree of lateralization in each brain region was assessed by the asymmetry index. Results: There was no significant difference in the power spectrum values and asymmetry indices between the left and right paddlers before rowing (p ˃ 0.05). However, after rowing, the left-paddlers group had significantly higher spectral power values in θ and α bands than the right-paddlers group (p < 0.05), and brain lateralization in both groups of athletes occurred mainly in the ipsilateral hemisphere of the frontal and central regions. Conclusion: The 1 km of rowing induced more brain activation in the left paddlers, and both left and right paddlers showed functional aggregation of hemispheric lateralization.