Funções executivas e acuidade de corredores treinados

Abstract

Introduction: Self-regulation plays a fundamental role in the performance of running athletes, particularly in endurance sports, involving the functioning of higher-order executive functions (EF), such as planning, inhibition, problem-solving, attentional processes, and working memory, which are governed by the prefrontal cortex. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of these functions in competitive situations, where the ability to inhibit distractions and maintain focus on race strategy is crucial. It is known that the perceptual accuracy of effort during exercise plays a significant role in self-regulation, influencing athletic performance and fatigue. Objective: The present study sought to explore the relationship between executive functions, psychological profiles, and perceptual accuracy in highly trained runners. Method: Executive functions were assessed using the following tests: 1) the Psychological Battery for Attention Assessment, which evaluated focused, alternating, and divided attention; 2) the Five-Point Test, which assessed cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control; 3) the Factorial Personality Battery, which evaluated personality traits; 4) the Rey Complex Figure Test, which assessed working memory; and 5) the Five Digit Test, which assessed inhibitory control and cognitive processing speed. Perceptual accuracy was evaluated through the just noticeable difference in oxygen consumption (VO₂-JND), measured using the classical psychophysical adjustment method; these data were previously collected in the first phase of the main study to which this project was linked. The analysis revealed distinct profiles between runners with high and low perceptual accuracy. Individuals with high perceptual accuracy demonstrated superior performance in executive functions, particularly in inhibitory control, and personality traits associated with greater achievement and extroversion. In contrast, runners with low perceptual accuracy exhibited cognitive deficits and personality traits suggesting lower openness and higher neuroticism. These findings may indicate an interaction between perceptual accuracy and executive function abilities, suggesting that the capacity for internal monitoring may be decisive for self-regulation and, consequently, performance in endurance sports.