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. 2014 Jul 14;4(2):114-20.
eCollection 2014 Apr.

Motor and cognitive development: the role of karate

Marianha Alesi  1 , Antonino Bianco  2 , Johnny Padulo  3 , Francesco Paolo Vella  4 , Marco Petrucci  2 , Antonio Paoli  5 , Antonio Palma  2 , Annamaria Pepi  1
Affiliations

Motor and cognitive development: the role of karate

Marianha Alesi et al. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J. .

Abstract

Background: regular physical activity has an effect on biological responses in both muscles and organs that, in turn, alter the structure and functions of the brain. Therefore, this study aims at comparing motor (sprint, coordination ability and explosive legs strength skills) and cognitive abilities (working memory, attention, executive functioning) in children.

Methods: 39 children with average chronological age of 9 years were divided in: Karatekas (n=19) and Sedentary (n=20) groups. Their abilities were measured by motor and cognitive tests. Motor skills were assessed through a battery composed by the 20 mt Sprint test, the Agility test and the Standing board jump Test. Cognitive profile was assessed by a battery of tests derived from BVN 5-11, "Batteria di Valutazione Neuropsicologica per l'Et à Evolutiva": Visual discrimination test, Reaction time test, Forwards and Backwards Digit Span Tests, Corsi Block-Tapping test and Tower of London.

Results: our results reveal significant differences between two groups (p < 0.05). Karate children show better speed times, explosive legs strength and coordination skills. They scored better on working memory, visual selective attention and executive functions.

Conclusion: karate exercise training shows global benefits resulting in physiological and psychological gains in children.

Keywords: children; cognitive abilities; field testing; motor abilities; motor control.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The Figure is representing the agility test. Nearby the start/stop side all participants have 1 m of margin in order to get prepared. As you can see there is equal distance (2.5 m) from the central cone of the agility test. The numbers reported without unit of measure are representing the order of execution (Start, 1, 2, 3, Stop).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Cognitive abilities of the control group compared to the Karatekas on Selective attention task (TASK); Forward digit span (FDS); Backward digit span (BDS); Better execution of planning task (BEPT); Higher times of planning task (LTPT) (p< 0.05). Data are reported as mean and SEM.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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