Cortical response to balance perturbation is more sensitive in modern dancers than nondancers during biomechanically similar balance recovery

Modern dancers have larger N1 responses to balance perturbations than nondancers, suggesting a greater sensitivity to perturbations. These results contrast with evidence of larger cortical-evoked N1 responses in young adults with poorer balance but are consistent with the N1 response being a balance error assessment signal. Whereas nondancers scaled cortical responses by individual differences in N1 amplitude, dancers' cortical responses were scaled to objective differences in perturbation magnitude, suggesting increased postural awareness due to training.