Neural oscillatory activity during guided and self-generated motor imagery: a comparative case study of a six-time World Cup skateboarder champion and an experienced recreational surfer.
- 1NeuroSports Lab, Department of Sport, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract
This study aimed to examine and compare neural oscillatory activity during guided and self-generated motor imagery in two individuals with contrasting levels of competitive expertise: a six-time World Cup skateboarder champion and an experienced recreational surfer. Following baseline recording, continuous electroencephalographic (EEG) activity (Brain Products GmbH, Gilching, Germany) was acquired during three motor imagery conditions: verbally guided training imagery, verbally guided competition imagery, and self-generated competition imagery. Analyses of frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), frontal beta asymmetry (FBA), and frontal midline theta (fmθ) showed distinct patterns of frontal oscillatory activity across imagery conditions and between the two athletes. FAA and FBA values were consistently lower in the skateboarder than in the surfer during the imagery conditions, although between-case differences were already evident at baseline. In contrast, fmθ showed a condition-dependent pattern, with higher values in the skateboarder during verbally guided training imagery but lower values during verbally guided and self-generated competition imagery. These case-level observations suggest that frontal oscillatory activity during motor imagery may vary according to imagery condition and individual characteristics. However, because the two participants differed not only in competitive expertise but also in sport discipline, prior imagery training, and trait imagery ability, the observed EEG differences cannot be attributed specifically to motor expertise. Accordingly, these findings should be considered preliminary and hypothesis-generating, providing a basis for future studies examining the relationships among motor expertise, imagery modality, and neural oscillatory activity in larger and more homogeneous samples.
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BibTeX
@article{moscaleski2026neural,
title = {{Neural oscillatory activity during guided and self-generated motor imagery: a comparative case study of a six-time World Cup skateboarder champion and an experienced recreational surfer.}},
author = {Luciane Aparecida Moscaleski and Alexandre Moreira},
journal = {Frontiers in human neuroscience},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fnhum.2026.1964730},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42909011},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Neural oscillatory activity during guided and self-generated motor imagery: a comparative case study of a six-time World Cup skateboarder champion and an experienced recreational surfer.
AU - Luciane Aparecida Moscaleski
AU - Alexandre Moreira
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Frontiers in human neuroscience
DO - 10.3389/fnhum.2026.1964730
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42909011
AB - This study aimed to examine and compare neural oscillatory activity during guided and self-generated motor imagery in two individuals with contrasting levels of competitive expertise: a six-time World Cup skateboarder champion and an experienced recreational surfer. Following baseline recording, continuous electroencephalographic (EEG) activity (Brain Products GmbH, Gilching, Germany) was acquired during three motor imagery conditions: verbally guided training imagery, verbally guided competition imagery, and self-generated competition imagery. Analyses of frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA), frontal beta asymmetry (FBA), and frontal midline theta (fmθ) showed distinct patterns of frontal oscillatory activity across imagery conditions and between the two athletes. FAA and FBA values were consistently lower in the skateboarder than in the surfer during the imagery conditions, although between-case differences were already evident at baseline. In contrast, fmθ showed a condition-dependent pattern, with higher values in the skateboarder during verbally guided training imagery but lower values during verbally guided and self-generated competition imagery. These case-level observations suggest that frontal oscillatory activity during motor imagery may vary according to imagery condition and individual characteristics. However, because the two participants differed not only in competitive expertise but also in sport discipline, prior imagery training, and trait imagery ability, the observed EEG differences cannot be attributed specifically to motor expertise. Accordingly, these findings should be considered preliminary and hypothesis-generating, providing a basis for future studies examining the relationships among motor expertise, imagery modality, and neural oscillatory activity in larger and more homogeneous samples.
SN - 1662-5161
ER -