FOCUS 946: Training Executive Areas BA9 10 46 to Enhance Decision Making Speed and Cognitive Inhibition in Elite Sport through Personalized EEG Neurofeedback

Elite sport performance increasingly depends on neurocognitive efficiency, particularly in positions requiring rapid tactical decisions under pressure. The FOCUS 946 study investigated the effects of a personalized EEG neurofeedback protocol targeting prefrontal executive regions (Brodmann areas 9, 10, and 46) on attentional control, cognitive inhibition, and decision-making speed in elite athletes. In a randomized controlled longitudinal design, 40 professional athletes were assigned to either an experimental group receiving 24 sessions of targeted neurofeedback over 8 weeks or a control group undergoing structured relaxation without EEG modulation. Outcomes were assessed at baseline (T0), mid-intervention (T1), and post-intervention (T2) using quantitative EEG (qEEG), computerized Go/No-Go tasks, tactical decision simulations, and subjective clarity scales. Results demonstrated significant improvements in the experimental group compared to controls. Prefrontal EEG coherence (BA9–10–46) increased by 12.42%, Go reaction times decreased by 40.66 ms without loss of accuracy, and No-Go commission errors were reduced by 5.50 on average. Decision consistency improved by 13.37%, accompanied by marked increases in perceived decision clarity. These findings indicate enhanced synchronization within the Executive Control Network and improved inhibitory precision mediated by BA46 engagement. The study provides empirical support for the trainability of executive neural networks in elite athletes and demonstrates that targeted EEG neurofeedback can produce measurable neurophysiological and behavioral benefits. Personalized neurocognitive training may therefore represent a scalable and strategically valuable tool for optimizing performance under competitive pressure.