Effects of Sanda Sports Training on Cognitive-Motor Control Based on EEG and Heart Rate Sensors: A Coupled ERP and HRV Analysis.

Objective: To investigate whether prolonged Sanda combat experience improves cognitive-motor control via neuro-cardiac coupling. Methods: Nineteen national-level Sanda athletes and nineteen matched controls completed a color-word Stroop task while concurrent EEG and ECG were recorded. The conflict adaptation effect (CAE), which refers to the ability to adjust cognitive control in response to conflicting stimuli, was compared between groups, along with P600 and LSP amplitudes and heart rate variability (RMSSD, HF); mediation analysis examined vagal recovery as a pathway. Results: Athletes responded faster and showed a larger CAE than controls (p < 0.001). ERP analyses revealed larger CAE-related P600 and LSP amplitudes in athletes (p < 0.05), with LSP amplitude inversely correlating with behavioral CAE (p < 0.05). Post-task vagal rebound (ΔRMSSD and ΔHF) was significantly greater in athletes (p < 0.05), and ΔRMSSD positively correlated with CAE (p < 0.05). Mediation analysis confirmed that vagal recovery partially mediated the association between Sanda experience and improved cognitive-motor control (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Sanda training enhances cognitive-motor control by accelerating parasympathetic recovery and optimizing neural conflict processing, providing evidence for an integrated exercise-cognition-autonomic nervous system coupling model.