Journals Information
International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences Vol. 13(1), pp. 215 - 223
DOI: 10.13189/saj.2025.130123
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Cognitive and Autonomic Properties of Healthy Judokas and Judokas with Autism
Angela Polevaia-Secareanu 1, Wojciech J. Cynarski 2, Georgiy Korobeynikov 3,4,*, Markus Raab 5, Rashid Matkarimov 3, Fikrat Kerimov 3, Lesia Korobeinikova 3,4, Elena Mokrousov 1, Hilitanu Remus-Lucian 1
1 Institute of Physical Education and Sport, State University of Moldova, Moldova
2 Institute of Physical Culture Studies, College of Medical Science, University of Rzeszow, Poland
3 Uzbek State University of Physical Education and Sports, Uzbekistan
4 National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport, Ukraine
5 German Sport University Cologne, Institute of Psychology, Germany
ABSTRACT
Recent evidence suggests that approximately 1 out of 100 children around the world is diagnosed with autism disorder. One of the effective ways to improve the cognitive abilities and general condition of children with autism is sports. The study involved 17 young healthy people (age 12.23; SD=2.58) and 10 young people with autism (age 13.52; SD=2.32) practicing judo. We used a test battery that has been previously applied in young athletes. A study of sensory-motor reactions revealed a slowdown in visual response against the background of moderate emotional stress in autistic athletes. In contrast, healthy athletes show a quick visual response to non-verbal information. A similar result was obtained when autistics performed visual search. At the same time, healthy athletes show fast decision-making of non-verbal information. The decision-making test correlates with the ability to perceive and process information as an indicator of cognitive development. The result was faster perception and decision-making in healthy athletes compared to autistic athletes that show slow decision-making time. A heart rate variability study found that athletes with autism had higher levels of sympathetic activation. Since the children in this project were average children with autism, it can be assumed that judo classes have a positive effect on the psychophysiological state of children. As a result, autistic athletes showed an optimization of the emotional state during mental anxiety. This corresponded to the predominance of sympathetic activation of the autonomic nervous system in autistic athletes. At the same time, autistic athletes showed a slowdown in decision-making and an improvement in the quality of processing non-verbal information.
KEYWORDS
Autistic, Health, Judo, Cognition
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Angela Polevaia-Secareanu , Wojciech J. Cynarski , Georgiy Korobeynikov , Markus Raab , Rashid Matkarimov , Fikrat Kerimov , Lesia Korobeinikova , Elena Mokrousov , Hilitanu Remus-Lucian , "Cognitive and Autonomic Properties of Healthy Judokas and Judokas with Autism," International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 215 - 223, 2025. DOI: 10.13189/saj.2025.130123.
(b). APA Format:
Angela Polevaia-Secareanu , Wojciech J. Cynarski , Georgiy Korobeynikov , Markus Raab , Rashid Matkarimov , Fikrat Kerimov , Lesia Korobeinikova , Elena Mokrousov , Hilitanu Remus-Lucian (2025). Cognitive and Autonomic Properties of Healthy Judokas and Judokas with Autism. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 13(1), 215 - 223. DOI: 10.13189/saj.2025.130123.