Neymar's brain on auto-pilot when he plays, discover Japanese neurologists

Brazilian superstar Neymar's brain activity while dancing past opponents is less than 10 per cent the level of amateur players, suggesting he plays as if on auto-pilot, according to Japanese neurologists. -- PHOTO: AFP
Brazilian superstar Neymar's brain activity while dancing past opponents is less than 10 per cent the level of amateur players, suggesting he plays as if on auto-pilot, according to Japanese neurologists. -- PHOTO: AFP

TOKYO (AFP) - Brazilian superstar Neymar's brain activity while dancing past opponents is less than 10 per cent the level of amateur players, suggesting he plays as if on auto-pilot, according to Japanese neurologists.

Results of brain scans conducted on Neymar in February this year indicated minimal cerebral function when he rotated his ankle and point to the Barcelona striker's wizardry being uncannily natural.

"From MRI images we discovered Neymar's brain activity to be less than 10 per cent of an amateur player," researcher Eiichi Naito said on Friday. "It is possible genetics is a factor, aided by the type of training he does."

The findings were published in the Swiss journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience following a series of motor skills tests carried out on the 22-year-old Neymar and several other athletes in Barcelona in February this year.

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