Crochet increases attention through a requiring motor skill learning

In this study, we compared the effects promoted by a brief single session of crochet in a group of skilled knitters (CRO) and a control group (CRT) on the Attentional Network Test (ANT) and the whole brain Functional Connectivity (FC) revealed by Magnetoencephalography (MEG). Data revealed that crochet determined a significant effect (before, T0, vs after, T1, the crochet session) on reaction times (for all cue and stimulus types), improving alertness and orienting networks (but not executive control) only in the CRO group. Data of FC are coherent with the behavioural ones. We observed that the Betweenness Centrality maximum (BCmax) index in the beta band significantly increased, and global FC in the alpha band significantly increased at T1 for the CRO group but not for the CTR group. Increased global BCmax in the beta band after the crochet activity correlated with better performance (reduced reaction times), suggesting that the brain has become more efficiently integrated, thus increasing the information exchange between different brain areas. Decreased global FC in the alpha band may reflect a transition from a quiet, global rest to a condition of increased alertness and readiness to stimuli. Finally, we discuss the hypothesis that these results could be the reinforcement of connections between motor and attentional networks promoted by learning the complex motor skills of crochet.