A - 38 Structural Prefrontal Changes in the Developing Brain Are Related to Amount of Time Spent Participating in Sports

Abstract Purpose Over half of the youth in America participate in some form of organized sport (Aspen Institute, State of Play, 2024). Regular physical activity has been linked to physical and mental wellbeing across the lifespan, but the direct relationship between sports and brain wellbeing has been much less studied. Method 11,224 children aged 9–10 years old (mean age = 9.91, 49.4% male, 65% White) at baseline completed an extensive battery of interviews and neuropsychological tasks through the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Parents completed a measure of activity involvement yearly, and children underwent neuroimaging protocols every two years. Longitudinal analyses of anatomical changes were conducted as they related to change in sports involvement. Results At baseline, sports participation was related to changes in the right rostral middle frontal region of the brain (p = 0.046). Over time, sports participation was related to significantly larger right hippocampus volumes (p = 0.41). When differentiating between types of sport participated in, trends emerged in the same regions, suggesting possible differentiation between participation in sports with a higher cognitive load. Conclusions The time children spent participating in sports is related to changes in brain development in several areas, suggesting that sports may play an important role in healthy brain growth for children. Additionally, sports with higher cognitive demands may produce greater neuroanatomical changes than more routine sports.