Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system, the functioning of the brain, the spinal cord, and the neurons. Affective, behavioral and cognitive disciplines of neuroscience applied to skiing allow the understanding of the brain, the neural basis of learning, and the skier´s behavior.
Through images issued by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), positron emission tomography (PET), recordings of electromyogram (EMG), electroencephalogram (EEG) among other mechanisms, neuroscientists detect brain activity decoding the neuronal organization and functioning of different cerebral areas, as well as investigating various neurological disorders.
The nervous system is the essential body’s operating system, allowing the connection with the environment. It consists of the central and peripheral systems. The central system includes the brain and the spinal cord. The peripheral develops through nerve fibers branched from the spinal cord to various parts of the body. Some of the functions of the nervous system related to skiing practice, in addition to basic bodily functions, are the regulation of movements, balance, and coordination; sensations and perceptions; thoughts and emotions; learning and memory; stress and stress-related body responses.
The brain is the main organ of the nervous system. It controls every aspect of our body functioning, from organs and body movements to the immune and the cognitive systems, among other functions. It is composed of millions of neurons and different areas that receive information from internal and external stimuli. Changes in the environment are captured by different receptors and transmitted by nerve impulses. These are sent to different brain areas, processing information and preparing the most appropriate responses through the nerve network that will execute them. It controls, among other things, our behavior when skiing, such as paying attention, anticipating events, coordinating movements and memorizing them. It constantly receives information for the development of actions through bottom-up and top-down processes. It is the organ deals with sensations and cannot be controlled since it works constantly.
Our mind, instead, interprets sensations and creates perceptions, being a cognitive functioning that can be regulated since it does not operate continuously. The mental activity is a brain’s function allowing awareness construction of skiing different aspects.
Learning to ski requires attention from the first actions to adapt to the environment, but then these are automated because our brain connections flow faster. The number and strength of these connections are influenced by the processes of learning and stimulation. This is constantly shaping the brain since some connections will weaken and others will be strengthened, which is referred to as brain plasticity or neuroplasticity.
During learning, our sensory experiences are transmitted to the brain by the nerve net. These experiences leave traces that, the more we practice, the more they will become permanent and will enable automation.
According to McLean and the Theory of the Three Brains, this organ would have evolved in three stages. These brains, that would have emerged sequentially, would correspond functionally according to their hierarchy. The reptilian or primitive brain would be the first to appear and contains the most basic functions. According to this author, it would be oriented to comply with elementary survival operations related to not evolved animals as the reptiles. It acts as a reflex (attack or defense) to environmental stimuli, relating to the impulsive part of our behavior. The limbic, mammal or emotional brain would have appeared on the basis of the reptilian and early mammals, complementing the basic instincts with emotional experiences. It correlates to an emotional instance of our psychological lives. The neocortex, neomamal, neocortex or rational brain is considered as the last evolutionary one and would be geared towards more complex functions. It leads to the rationalization of the experiences in the environment and action planning. It relates to the rational field of our behavior. According to this theory, the reptilian brain exists in vertebrates, the limbic and reptilian in lower mammals, and the three brains in higher mammals, i.e., humans.
The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the brain that deals with higher functions. Basically, it consists of the anterior cingular cortex (thoughts, feelings); the prefrontal cortex (planning, inhibition of impulses, creativity); the motor cortex (movement); the somatosensory cortex (sensory information processing), the visual cortex; the auditory and language areas. The limbic system is composed of the amygdala (processed threats); the hypothalamus (regulates temperature, libido, aggressiveness, and hunger); the thalamus (relays sensory information), and the hippocampus (memory processes). The cerebral trunk regulates various functions (breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure) and the cerebellum focuses on balance and movement coordination.
The frontal lobe processes images, memories, and language articulation. The parietal lobe includes the somatosensory cortex (information coming from the senses) through body “maps” that control movements and orientation. The occipital lobe is entirely applied to vision: receives visual stimuli and turns them into perceptions. The temporal lobe is dedicated to hearing and memory encoding, processing language, and recognition of faces. Currently, it is believed that brain function is by parts but different areas are connected to each other in real time.
Neurons are the elementary components (cells) of the nervous system. They consist of a core (soma) with extensions (axons and dendrites) that allow communication (synapsis) between them. This is performed by sending messages (electrical signals) through axons and in turn, they release chemical messages (neurotransmitters) in the space formed between the end of an axon and the dendrite of another neuron. Dendrites receive and develop the chemical messages into electrical signals that are relayed again to other neurons and thus continuing the process of forming neural networks. Myelin is the substance that coats axons in order to allow more fluid nerve impulses. Glial cells provide nutrients to neurons as well as support and protection.
Neurons are generally classified into three types according to their function: sensory, motor, and interneurons. Sensory neurons carry the nerve impulse from a sensory organ (receptor) to the spinal cord and to the brain. Motor neurons transport impulses from the brain and the spinal cord to the body (effector). Interneurons transfer impulses between the sensory and the motor neurons. It is called nerve impulses the process of stimuli reception and transmission through neurons. Other neurons have the function of regulating the processes of the functioning of the various organs, glands, and the regulation of the digestive system.
According to these considerations, you can apply the following recommendations in your own skiing:
- Remember that your skiing consciousness is made of your sensations, perceptions, emotions, feelings, and thoughts.
- An appropriate way of being aware of your consciousness is to verbalize your skiing experiences and questioning them.
- Apply your visual attention skills to improve your consciousness by looking not only the foreground of a skiing scene but also the aspects of the background.
- Your consciousness will increase when you confront a difficulty, instead, if there is not any, your consciousness level may tend to decrease.
- If you do not excercise your consciousness properly, then you will perform your skiing actions by reacting instinctively.
