Journals Information
International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences Vol. 10(6), pp. 1204 - 1209
DOI: 10.13189/saj.2022.100611
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Active Inference Theory: The Effect of Sport Training on Tracking Movements Control
Shestakov Mikhail 1,*, Shevtsova Irina 2, Kruchkov Andrey 3, Fomichenko Tatiana 3, Novolotsky Alexey 2
1 Digital Technology Lab, Federal Scientific Center for Physical Culture and Sports, 10, Elizavetinsky per., Moscow, 105005, Russia
2 Department of Mathematical Statistics, Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, GSP-1, 1-52 Leninskiye Gory, Moscow 119991, Russia
3 Lab of Sports Training Problems, Federal Scientific Center for Physical Culture and Sports, 10, Elizavetinsky per., Moscow, 105005, Russia
ABSTRACT
A concept of active inference suggested by K.Friston (2010, 2011) is considered in motor control as an alternative to a concept of optimal control, although they both are based on a theory of internal models. In our study, we applied the concept of active inference for the interpretation of experimental data we obtained in the course of elite athletes' development. To that end, we have studied tracking movements in elite alpine skiers (n=20), who performed several special tests throughout the preparation period. At the same time, they did blood tests, which revealed time spans characterized by significant (p<0.01) shifts in dopamine levels in blood. Dopamine served as an indicator of changes in the athletes' movement control system; these changes were related to the execution of different training loads, which determined demands on the control system. We registered a decrease in prediction errors (i.e. difference between "real" errors and predicted errors) after the 21-day long training period aimed at technique adjustment, if compared to the other 21-day long training period aimed at improvement of physical capacities. Our study demonstrates the ability of the concept of "active inference" to explain differences in the empirical data we registered in elite alpine skiers in different training periods. According to the concept of active inference, alterations in the athletes' control system were caused by changes in somatosensory prediction of the movement results that depended on the state of the somatomotor system.
KEYWORDS
Alpine Skiers, Tracking Movements, Active Inference, Motor Control
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Shestakov Mikhail , Shevtsova Irina , Kruchkov Andrey , Fomichenko Tatiana , Novolotsky Alexey , "Active Inference Theory: The Effect of Sport Training on Tracking Movements Control," International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, Vol. 10, No. 6, pp. 1204 - 1209, 2022. DOI: 10.13189/saj.2022.100611.
(b). APA Format:
Shestakov Mikhail , Shevtsova Irina , Kruchkov Andrey , Fomichenko Tatiana , Novolotsky Alexey (2022). Active Inference Theory: The Effect of Sport Training on Tracking Movements Control. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 10(6), 1204 - 1209. DOI: 10.13189/saj.2022.100611.