Key result
Chess-based problem-solving tasks increased left prefrontal cortex activation with task difficulty in both adolescents and adults, with differences in PFC dynamics between the age groups.
Why the study?
The study aimed to compare prefrontal cortex dynamics between adult and adolescent chess players during problem-solving tasks of increasing difficulty using functional near-infrared spectroscopy.
Cross-Sectional (n=30)
Prefrontal cortex activation increases with task difficulty during chess problem-solving, with distinct hemodynamic patterns between adult and adolescent players despite similar performance.
May inform age-tailored cognitive assessments; leaves open whether chess training alters PFC dynamics differently by age.
This study aimed to compare the dynamics of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), between adult and adolescent chess players, during chess-based problem-solving tasks of increasing level of difficulty, relying on the identification of changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) and hemoglobin (HHb) through the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) method. Thirty male federated chess players (mean age: 24.15 ± 12.84 years), divided into adults and adolescents, participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants were asked to solve three chess problems with different difficulties (low, medium, and high) while changes in HbO2 and HHb were measured over the PFC in real-time with an fNIRS system. Results indicated that the left prefrontal cortex (L-PFC) increased its activation with the difficulty of the task in both adolescents and adults. Interestingly, differences in the PFC dynamics but not in the overall performance were found between adults and adolescents. Our findings contributed to a better understanding of the PFC resources mobilized during complex tasks in both adults and adolescents.
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Pereira et al. (2020) conducted a cross-sectional in Federated chess players (n=30). Chess-based problem-solving tasks vs. Adults vs adolescents was evaluated on Dynamics of the prefrontal cortex (changes in HbO2 and HHb). Chess-based problem-solving tasks increased left prefrontal cortex activation with task difficulty in both adolescents and adults, with differences in PFC dynamics between the age groups.
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