Increasing Racial Representation of adolescent athletes.

 

According to an article CNN Health Only 5.7% of US doctors are Black, and experts warn the shortage harms public health Seun Adebagbo quoted that

“black people face persistent disparities in health care and health outcomes. These include higher uninsured rates, being more likely to go without care due to cost, and worse reported health status Their life expectancy is nearly five years shorter compared to white people”.

So, first and foremost I just want to thank the researchers for doing this study because as a African American and also being a member in the African American community I see consciously the disadvantages and under representation when it comes to the African American community and health. With the way things are going in the world I believe that shedding light on these disparities has never been more important.

In this study researchers looked at how negative emotions, like frustration, affect a brain function called cognitive inhibition. Cognitive inhibition is important for controlling behavior, regulating mood, and influences decision making.  Researchers focused on adolescent athletes, particularly black athletes, because black individuals are underrepresented in brain health studies, even though they are heavily involved in sports. For the study the researchers used a brain monitoring method called (EEG) to study how frustration impacts brain responses in adolescent athletes during preseason (before contact sports) and postseason.

They found that a specific brain signal called the N2 component showed changes during frustration, but the effects were weaker after the season ended. Over time, during frustration, brain responses became less intense, showing how emotions dynamically interfere with cognitive inhibition.

Some questions for the future could be

Are there cultural or environmental factors that influence how athletes from different racial backgrounds respond to frustration or brain injury?

Could findings from this study help in designing sport-related protocols to better protect mental and emotional health in black communties?