“Crochet … a little hook to improve attention?”

Abstract

AbstractIn this work we compared the short-term effects of crochet on the performance in the well-known Attention Network Test and on the global cortical functioning networks revealed by magnetoencephalography between a group of crocheters and a sex and age-matched control group.Our data revealed that crochet is associated with an increase of the alerting and the orienting networks even after a brief, single work session and that this behavioural effect seems to have a counterpart in the modification seen in the global functional connectivity of the brain, where an increased speed of the information exchange between different brain areas have been seen. Moreover, we discuss the hypothesis that these effects on attentional networks are dissimilar from those determined by meditation, where an improvement in the executive control was previously demonstrated as the main effect.Our results provided for the first time that crochet is associated with an increase in the attentional networks, and namely in alerting and orienting networks, paving the way for the use of textile-related arts in the neurorehabilitation, possibly in combination with meditation, considering that the two practices promote complementary effects on the attentional networks.HighlightsCrocheting positively affects attention, improving alerting and orientingCrocheting speeds up the information exchange between different brain areasCrocheting and meditation promote different effects on the attentional networks