Jeroen Van Cutsem1,2, Samuele Marcora2, Kevin De Pauw1, Stephen Bailey3, Romain Meeusen1,4, Bart Roelands5,6. 1. Human Physiology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium. 2. Endurance research group, School of Sport and Exercise SciencesUniversity of Kent at Medway, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4Ag, UK. 3. Department of Physical Therapy Education, Elon University, Elon, NC, 27244, USA. 4. School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia. 5. Human Physiology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium. bart.roelands@vub.ac.be. 6. Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium. bart.roelands@vub.ac.be.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mental fatigue is a psychobiological state caused by prolonged periods of demanding cognitive activity. It has recently been suggested that mental fatigue can affect physical performance. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate the literature on impairment of physical performance due to mental fatigue and to create an overview of the potential factors underlying this effect. METHODS: Two electronic databases, PubMed and Web of Science (until 28 April 2016), were searched for studies designed to test whether mental fatigue influenced performance of a physical task or influenced physiological and/or perceptual responses during the physical task. Studies using short (<30 min) self-regulatory depletion tasks were excluded from the review. RESULTS: A total of 11 articles were included, of which six were of strong and five of moderate quality. The general finding was a decline in endurance performance (decreased time to exhaustion and self-selected power output/velocity or increased completion time) associated with a higher than normal perceived exertion. Physiological variables traditionally associated with endurance performance (heart rate, blood lactate, oxygen uptake, cardiac output, maximal aerobic capacity) were unaffected by mental fatigue. Maximal strength, power, and anaerobic work were not affected by mental fatigue. CONCLUSION: The duration and intensity of the physical task appear to be important factors in the decrease in physical performance due to mental fatigue. The most important factor responsible for the negative impact of mental fatigue on endurance performance is a higher perceived exertion.
BACKGROUND:Mental fatigue is a psychobiological state caused by prolonged periods of demanding cognitive activity. It has recently been suggested that mental fatigue can affect physical performance. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate the literature on impairment of physical performance due to mental fatigue and to create an overview of the potential factors underlying this effect. METHODS: Two electronic databases, PubMed and Web of Science (until 28 April 2016), were searched for studies designed to test whether mental fatigue influenced performance of a physical task or influenced physiological and/or perceptual responses during the physical task. Studies using short (<30 min) self-regulatory depletion tasks were excluded from the review. RESULTS: A total of 11 articles were included, of which six were of strong and five of moderate quality. The general finding was a decline in endurance performance (decreased time to exhaustion and self-selected power output/velocity or increased completion time) associated with a higher than normal perceived exertion. Physiological variables traditionally associated with endurance performance (heart rate, blood lactate, oxygen uptake, cardiac output, maximal aerobic capacity) were unaffected by mental fatigue. Maximal strength, power, and anaerobic work were not affected by mental fatigue. CONCLUSION: The duration and intensity of the physical task appear to be important factors in the decrease in physical performance due to mental fatigue. The most important factor responsible for the negative impact of mental fatigue on endurance performance is a higher perceived exertion.
Authors: Jesper F Hopstaken; Dimitri van der Linden; Arnold B Bakker; Michiel A J Kompier Journal: Psychophysiology Date: 2014-09-26 Impact factor: 4.016
Authors: Mitchell R Smith; Chris Thompson; Samuele M Marcora; Sabrina Skorski; Tim Meyer; Aaron J Coutts Journal: Sports Med Date: 2018-07 Impact factor: 11.136
Authors: Denver M Y Brown; Jeffrey D Graham; Kira I Innes; Sheereen Harris; Ashley Flemington; Steven R Bray Journal: Sports Med Date: 2020-03 Impact factor: 11.136
Authors: Danilo R Coimbra; Guilherme G Bevilacqua; Fabiano S Pereira; Alexandro Andrade Journal: J Sports Sci Med Date: 2021-03-01 Impact factor: 2.988