Mental fatigue (MF) is a psychobiological state that impairs endurance performance in healthy athletes. Recently, multiple studies indicated that MF could also impair sport-specific psychomotor performance (SSPP). Nevertheless, a systematic overview detailing the effects of MF on SSPP is currently lacking. The objective of this study is to collate relevant literature and examine the effect of MF on SSPP. A secondary aim was to create an overview of the potential subjective and physiological factors underlying this MF effect. PubMed (MEDLINE), Web of Science, PsycINFO and SPORTDiscus were searched (5th of November 2020). Studies were eligible when study outcomes encompassed any form of SSPP skill in a sport-specific context, the intervention was targeted to induce MF, and the population included healthy individuals. The presence of a manipulation check, to indicate the successful induction of MF, was obligatory for inclusion. Secondary outcomes were all outcomes (either physiological or psychological) that could explain the underlying mechanisms of the effect of MF on SSPP. In total, 21 papers were included. MF was successfully induced in all but two studies, which were excluded from further analysis. MF negatively impacts a myriad of SSPP outcomes, including decision-making, reaction time and accuracy outcomes. No changes in physiological outcomes, that could underlie the effect of MF, were reported. Subjectively, only ratings of perceived of exertion increased due to MF in some studies. Overall, the selected papers indicated that MF negatively affects SSPP. Research that assesses brain function, while evaluating the effect of MF on SSPP is essential to create further insight.

Mental Fatigue and Sport-Specific Psychomotor Performance: A Systematic Review.

The consensus of opinion, with regard to the effect of cognitive fatigue on subsequent physical performance, is that there is a small, negative effect, but there is no consensus regarding the mechanisms involved. When glucose levels are normal, undertaking cognitive tasks does not induce energy or neurotransmitter depletion. The adenosine hypothesis is questioned as cognitively induced increases in adenosine release are phasic and transient, while persistent effects of adenosine are tonic. Thus, the most likely explanation for a negative effect of cognitive fatigue would appear to be changes in perceptions of effort, for which there is some evidence from subjective participant feedback, while interoceptive theory would suggest a role for motivation levels. Cognitive fatigue and physical fatigue are dependent on interoceptive mechanisms, in particular the interactions between top-down predictions of effort from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) to the insula cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, ventromedial and ventrolateral PFC, and bottom-up feedback from the lamina I spinothalamic pathway, and the vagal and glossopharyngeal medullothalamic pathway. The dopaminergic mesocorticolimbic and the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline pathways are also vital. It would appear that cognitive fatigue leads to different predictions of the expected sensory consequences of undertaking the exercise than in the control condition and there is some evidence that motivation can overcome this. Much more research, in which motivation levels are manipulated, is necessary as the effects are small and the reasons for cognitive fatigue causing changes in predictions of sensory consequences are not clear.

Cognitive Fatigue Effects on Physical Performance: The Role of Interoception

Objective: To investigate the effects of mental fatigue on soccer-specific physical and technical performance in young players. Methods: Twelve under-14 (U14), twelve under-16 (U16) and twelve unde...

Effects of mental fatigue on soccer-specific performance in young players

Too bored for sports? Adaptive and less-adaptive latent personality profiles for exercise behavior

Background Mental fatigue is a psychobiological state induced by a prolonged duration of demanding cognitive tasks. The effects of mental fatigue on physical performance have been well investigated in the literature. However, the effect of mental fatigue on skilled performance in sports remains unclear. Objective This study aimed to report a comprehensive systematic review investigating the carryover effects of mental fatigue on skilled performance among athletes. Methods A thorough search was conducted on PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost (CENTRAL, SPORTDicus), and Scopus to select relevant literature, as well as on Google Scholar and sources of reference for grey literature. The selected literatures are centred on a mental fatigue protocol in which cognitive tasks are performed prior to athletic tasks. Only studies that used an experimental design to test two conditions, namely mental fatigue and non-mental fatigue, were selected. Results Eleven articles were chosen based on the selection criteria. Mental fatigue affects skilled performance in three sports: soccer, basketball, and table tennis. A decline in skilled performance (decreased accuracy, increased performing time etc) is relevant to impaired executive functions. Seven studies focus on offensive skills, whereas only two studies are associated with defensive skills. Conclusion Mental fatigue has a negative effect on various sports skills of high-level athletes, including their technical and decision-making skills; however, the impact is greater on offensive skills than that of defensive skills in terms of the role of athletes. Impaired executive functions may be responsible for the negative effects of mental fatigue on skilled performance.

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Does mental fatigue affect skilled performance in athletes? A systematic review.

An emerging body of the literature in the past two decades has generally shown that prior cognitive exertion is associated with a subsequent decline in physical performance. Two parallel, but overlapping, bodies of literature (i.e., ego depletion, mental fatigue) have examined this question. However, research to date has not merged these separate lines of inquiry to assess the overall magnitude of this effect. The present work reports the results of a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis examining carryover effects of cognitive exertion on physical performance. A systematic search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus was conducted. Only randomized controlled trials involving healthy humans, a central executive task requiring cognitive exertion, an easier cognitive comparison task, and a physical performance task were included. A total of 73 studies provided 91 comparisons with 2581 participants. Random effects meta-analysis showed a significant small-to-medium negative effect of prior cognitive exertion on physical performance (g = − 0.38 [95% CI − 0.46, − 0.31]). Subgroup analyses showed that cognitive tasks lasting < 30-min (g = − 0.45) and ≥ 30-min (g = − 0.30) have similar significant negative effects on subsequent physical performance. Prior cognitive exertion significantly impairs isometric resistance (g = − 0.57), motor (g = − 0.57), dynamic resistance (g = − 0.51), and aerobic performance (g = − 0.26), but the effects on maximal anaerobic performance are trivial and non-significant (g = 0.10). Studies employing between-subject designs showed a medium negative effect (g = − 0.65), whereas within-subject designs had a small negative effect (g = − 0.28). Findings demonstrate that cognitive exertion has a negative effect on subsequent physical performance that is not due to chance and suggest that previous meta-analysis results may have underestimated the overall effect.

Effects of Prior Cognitive Exertion on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Effects of mental fatigue on exercise decision-making

People's decisions regarding effort-based tasks such as engaging in physical activity depend on the subjective value of the activity: weighing the costs against the benefits. Exerting cognitive effort while performing one task negatively biases people's decisions to exert effort on subsequent cognitive tasks, suggesting a shift in their subjective valuation of the task due to mental fatigue. The present study investigated the effect of mental fatigue on people's decisions to engage in an acute bout of exercise and whether the effect of mental fatigue on decision-making was mediated by a cost-benefit analysis. Participants (N = 55) completed either a 10-minute, high cognitive demand (Stroop) task or low cognitive demand (documentary viewing) task and then made a choice between engaging in a 20-minute self-paced moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise task or a 20-minute sedentary task. Prior to choosing, participants rated their mental fatigue and their perceived benefits and costs of the exercise task. The cognitive task had a strong effect on mental fatigue (Cohen's d = 1.40). The mediation analysis showed no direct effect of mental fatigue on choice; however, there was a significant indirect effect indicating the cost-benefit score mediated the effect of mental fatigue on choice (95% C.I = -.02 to -.0004). Higher levels of mental fatigue were associated with greater costs of exercising (r = .35), which in turn were associated with a decreased likelihood of choosing the exercise task (r squared = .13). Findings provide insight into the effects of mental fatigue on people's exercise decision-making.

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Mental fatigue, anticipated effort, and subjective valuations of exercising predict choice to exercise or not: A mixed-methods study

Physical activity (PA) guidelines are informed by epidemiological evidence but do not account for people's motivation for exerting physical effort. Previous research has shown that people are less motivated to engage in moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA when fatigued. In a two-study series, we investigated how intensity and duration affected people's willingness to engage in PA using an effort-discounting paradigm. A secondary purpose was to examine whether effort discounting was affected by mental fatigue. Both studies revealed a significant Intensity × Duration interaction demonstrating a reduced willingness to engage in PA of higher intensities across increasing duration levels. Study 1 demonstrated greater effort discounting for vigorous-intensity PA with increasing mental fatigue; however, this effect was not observed in Study 2. Findings provide novel insight toward people's motivation for engaging in PA based on the properties of the task, and some evidence suggesting feelings of fatigue may also influence motivation to exert physical effort.

Sheereen Harris

Papers

Effects of Prior Cognitive Exertion on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Effects of mental fatigue on exercise decision-making

Effects of mental fatigue on exercise decision-making

Mental fatigue, anticipated effort, and subjective valuations of exercising predict choice to exercise or not: A mixed-methods study

Is It Really Worth the Effort? Examining the Effects of Mental Fatigue on Physical Activity Effort Discounting.