Thickness and Prevalence Rate of White Matter of the Brain as a Biological Marker to Guide the Selection Processes of the Various Playing Positions of the Junior Basketball Players

Aly El-Kiki, Asaad

doi:10.21608/jass.2016.84593

Thickness and Prevalence Rate of White Matter of the Brain as a Biological Marker to Guide the Selection Processes of the Various Playing Positions of the Junior Basketball Players

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Asaad Aly El-Kiki

Faculty of Physical Education for Boys, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

10.21608/jass.2016.84593

Abstract

This research aims to find a way for selecting junior basketball players and guide them to the various playing positions through the prevalence rate and thickness of the white matter in the brain by achieving the following objectives:
- Identifying the thickness and prevalence rate of white matter of the brain in the various playing positions of the junior basketball players.
- Setting the biological determinants according to the thickness and prevalence rate of white matter of the brain for each of the different playing positions among the junior basketball players.
The researcher used the descriptive method for its relevance to the research procedures and objectives. The research sample included 24 juniors from Al-Ittihad Alexandria Basketball Club, who were born in 2002, and were listed in an under-14 years-old team (A) and a 14 years-old team (B). They were selected intentionally and divided into three groups according to the three playing positions (point guard, guard, and post player), and the measurements were conducted during the 2015-2016 season in the period from 7/2/2016 to 11/2/2016, using 1.5 tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), after determining the areas of thickness and prevalence rate of white matter of the brain to obtain the value of the diffusion coefficient and mass size. The results revealed the following points:
1- The guard exceeded the point guard in all of the variables of prevalence rate of the white matter except for the posterior lobe of the inner capsule (PLic)
2- The point guard exceeded the post player in all of the variables of prevalence rate of the white matter except for the deep white matter in the front lobe (DF)
3- The post player exceeded the point guard in the (white matter MO)
Finally the researcher recommended the following:
1- Depending on the thickness index and prevalence rate of white matter of the brain as one of the biological markers of selection in basketball.
2- Developing predictive equations that combine between the physical, neural and technical traits to be a reliable criterion in evaluating the technical performance of basketball players.

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