Effects of maturity status, training background and stereopsis on perceptual-cognitive skills from childhood into adolescence

Author Identifier

Anthony J. Blazevich: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1664-1614

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Physiology and Behavior

Volume

291

PubMed ID

39837457

Publisher

Elsevier

School

Centre for Human Performance / School of Medical and Health Sciences

Funders

Clermont Auvergne Metropole

Comments

Zhang, X., Maso, F., Ekpe-Lordonnois, B., Poncelet, T., Ennequin, G., Blazevich, A. J., & Ratel, S. (2025). Effects of maturity status, training background and stereopsis on perceptual-cognitive skills from childhood into adolescence. Physiology & Behavior, 291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114815

Abstract

Perceptual-cognitive skills are determinant for sports performance in young athletes. The present study aimed to clarify how maturity status influences perceptual-cognitive skills with consideration of training background and stereopsis. One hundred and sixty-six 10- to 16-year-old male participants were divided into eight groups based on their training background (moderately-trained: 1–2 weekly sessions; well-trained: 4–5 weekly sessions) and maturity status (Pre-Pubertal1 < -2 years from APHV, Pre-Pubertal2 = -2 to -0.5 years from APHV, Pubertal = -0.49 to +0.5 years from APHV, Post-Pubertal > +0.5 year from APHV). Perceptual-cognitive skills were evaluated using a previously validated 3D-MOT task (i.e., the NeuroTrackerMT) with (3D) and without (2D) stereoscopic conditions. Pre-Pubertal1 before ∼13 years had significantly lower scores than their older counterparts (p < 0.05 at least), while no significant differences were observed between Pre-Pubertal2, Pubertal, and Post-Pubertal children. In addition, significantly higher scores were found under the 3D condition regardless of maturity status and training background (p < 0.001). Finally, no significant effects of training background or interaction between training background, stereopsis, and maturity status were found on NeuroTrackerMT performance scores. In conclusion, the present results show that maturity status positively impacts perceptual-cognitive skill development until the age of ∼13 years but that stereopsis-related advantage is not dependent on maturity status between 10 and 16 years. While no significant differences were observed between well- and moderately-trained children, high inter-individual variability regardless of stereopsis indicates that perceptual-cognitive skill evaluation during childhood and early adolescence may be useful for talent identification and long-term athlete development purposes.

DOI

10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114815

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