Abstract
This study aimed to explore the effect of prolonged speed–accuracy motor task on the indicators of psychological, cognitive, psychomotor and motor function. Ten young men aged 21.1 ± 1.0 years performed a fast- and accurate-reaching movement task and a control task. Both tasks were performed for 2 h. Despite decreased motivation, and increased perception of effort as well as subjective feeling of fatigue, speed–accuracy motor task performance improved during the whole period of task execution. After the motor task, the increased working memory function and prefrontal cortex oxygenation at rest and during conflict detection, and the decreased efficiency of incorrect response inhibition and visuomotor tracking were observed. The speed–accuracy motor task increased the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials, while grip strength was not affected. These findings demonstrate that to sustain the performance of 2-h speed–accuracy task under conditions of self-reported fatigue, task-relevant functions are maintained or even improved, whereas less critical functions are impaired.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allen DG, Lamb GD, Westerblad H (2008) Skeletal muscle fatigue: cellular mechanisms. Physiol Rev 88:287–332. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00015.2007
Arbuthnott K, Frank J (2000) Executive control in set switching: residual switch cost and task-set inhibition. Can J Exp Psychol 54:33–41. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0087328
Ayaz H, Shewokis PA, Curtin A et al (2011) Using MazeSuite and functional near infrared spectroscopy to study learning in spatial navigation. J Vis Exp 56:e3443. https://doi.org/10.3791/3443
Begliomini C, De Sanctis T, Marangon M et al (2014) An investigation of the neural circuits underlying reaching and reach-to-grasp movements: from planning to execution. Front Hum Neurosci 8:676. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00676
Behm DG, St-Pierre DMM (1997) Effects of fatigue duration and muscle type on voluntary and evoked contractile properties. J Appl Physiol 82:1654–1661. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1997.82.5.1654
Black MI, Jones AM, Blackwell JR et al (2017) Muscle metabolic and neuromuscular determinants of fatigue during cycling in different exercise intensity domains. J Appl Physiol 122:446–459. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00942.2016
Boksem MAS, Meijman TF, Lorist MM (2005) Effects of mental fatigue on attention: an ERP study. Cogn Brain Res 25:107–116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2005.04.011
Boksem MAS, Meijman TF, Lorist MM (2006) Mental fatigue, motivation and action monitoring. Biol Psychol 72:123–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2005.08.007
Chikazoe J (2010) Localizing performance of go/no-go tasks to prefrontal cortical subregions. Curr Opin Psychiatry 23:267–272. https://doi.org/10.1097/YCO.0b013e3283387a9f
Davranche K, Temesi J, Verges S, Hasbroucq T (2015) Transcranial magnetic stimulation probes the excitability of the primary motor cortex: a framework to account for the facilitating effects of acute whole-body exercise on motor processes. J Sport Health Sci 4:24–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2014.09.001
Diamond A (2013) Executive functions. Annu Rev Psychol 64:135–168. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750
Dietrich A, Sparling PB (2004) Endurance exercise selectively impairs prefrontal-dependent cognition. Brain Cogn 55:516–524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2004.03.002
Eddy MD, Hasselquist L, Giles G et al (2015) The effects of load carriage and physical fatigue on cognitive performance. PLoS One 10:e0130817. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130817
Faber LG, Maurits NM, Lorist MM (2012) Mental fatigue affects visual selective attention. PLoS One 7:e48073. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0048073
Ferrari M, Quaresima V (2012) A brief review on the history of human functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) development and fields of application. NeuroImage 63:921–935. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.03.049
Fess EE (1992) Grip strength. In: Casanova JS (ed) Clinical assessment recommendations, 2nd edn. American Society of Hand Therapists, Chicago, IL, pp 41–45
Gandevia SC (2001) Spinal and supraspinal factors in human muscle fatigue. Physiol Rev 81:1725–1789. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.2001.81.4.1725
Gergelyfi M, Jacob B, Olivier E, Zénon A (2015) Dissociation between mental fatigue and motivational state during prolonged mental activity. Front Behav Neurosci 9:176. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00176
Glace BW, Kremenic IJ, McHugh MP (2013) Sex differences in central and peripheral mechanisms of fatigue in cyclists. Eur J Appl Physiol 113:1091–1098. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-012-2516-4
Goodall S, Thomas K, Harper LD et al (2017) The assessment of neuromuscular fatigue during 120 min of simulated soccer exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 117:687–697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3561-9
Hart SG, Staveland LE (1988) Development of NASA-TLX (Task Load Index): results of empirical and theoretical research. Adv Psychol 52:139–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-4115(08)62386-9
Hunter SK (2009) Sex differences and mechanisms of task-specific muscle fatigue. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 37:113–122. https://doi.org/10.1097/JES.0b013e3181aa63e2
Ishii A, Tanaka M, Watanabe Y (2016) Neural mechanisms to predict subjective level of fatigue in the future: a magnetoencephalography study. Sci Rep 6:25097. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep25097
Kitani T (2011) Term committee of Japanese society of fatigue science. Nihon Hirougakkaishi Jpn 6:1
Krakauer JW, Mazzoni P (2011) Human sensorimotor learning: adaptation, skill, and beyond. Curr Opin Neurobiol 21:636–644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2011.06.012
Kuboyama N, Shibuya K (2015) Ipsi- and contralateral frontal cortex oxygenation during handgrip task does not follow decrease on maximal force output. J Physiol Anthropol 34:37. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101-015-0077-z
Kyguoliene L, Skurvydas A, Eimantas N et al (2017) Effect of constant, predictable, and unpredictable motor tasks on motor performance and blood markers of stress. Exp Brain Res 235:1323–1336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-017-4894-7
Labelle V, Bosquet L, Mekary S, Bherer L (2013) Decline in executive control during acute bouts of exercise as a function of exercise intensity and fitness level. Brain Cogn 81:10–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2012.10.001
Lage GM, Ugrinowitsch H, Apolinário-Souza T et al (2015) Repetition and variation in motor practice: a review of neural correlates. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 57:132–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.08.012
Levin O, Netz Y (2015) Aerobic training as a means to enhance inhibition: what’s yet to be studied? Eur Rev Aging Phys Act 12:14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-015-0160-9
Lorist MM, Jolij J (2012) Trial history effects in Stroop task performance are independent of top-down control. PLoS One 7:e39802. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0039802
Lorist MM, Klein M, Nieuwenhuis S et al (2000) Mental fatigue and task control: planning and preparation. Psychophysiology 37:614–625. https://doi.org/10.1111/1469-8986.3750614
Lorist MM, Kernell D, Meijman TF, Zijdewind I (2002) Motor fatigue and cognitive task performance in humans. J Physiol 545:313–319. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2002.027938
Lorist MM, Boksem MAS, Ridderinkhof KR (2005) Impaired cognitive control and reduced cingulate activity during mental fatigue. Cogn Brain Res 24:199–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogbrainres.2005.01.018
Marcora M, Staiano W (2010) The limit to exercise tolerance in humans: mind over muscle? Eur J Appl Physiol 109:763–770. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1418-6
Marcora SM, Staiano W, Manning V (2009) Mental fatigue impairs physical performance in humans. J Appl Physiol 106:857–864. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.91324.2008
Mathôt S, Schreij D, Theeuwes J (2012) OpenSesame: an open-source, graphical experiment builder for the social sciences. Behav Res Methods 44:314–324. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-011-0168-7
Matthews G, Campbell SE, Falconer S et al (2002) Fundamental dimensions of subjective state in performance settings: task engagement, distress, and worry. Emotion 2:315–340. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.2.4.315
Mehta RK (2015) Impacts of obesity and stress on neuromuscular fatigue development and associated heart rate variability. Int J Obes 39:208. https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2014.127
Mehta RK, Agnew MJ (2012) Influence of mental workload on muscle endurance, fatigue, and recovery during intermittent static work. Eur J Appl Physiol 112:2891–2902. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-011-2264-x
Mehta RK, Agnew MJ (2013) Exertion-dependent effects of physical and mental workload on physiological outcomes and task performance. IIE Trans Occup Ergon Hum Factors 1:3–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2011.632488
Mehta RK, Parasuraman R (2014) Effects of mental fatigue on the development of physical fatigue: a neuroergonomic approach. Hum Factors 56:645–656. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720813507279
Mizuno K, Tanaka M, Yamaguti K et al (2011) Mental fatigue caused by prolonged cognitive load associated with sympathetic hyperactivity. Behav Brain Funct 7:17. https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-9081-7-17
Mizuno K, Tajima K, Watanabe Y, Kuratsune H (2014) Fatigue correlates with the decrease in parasympathetic sinus modulation induced by a cognitive challenge. Behav Brain Funct 10:25. https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-9081-10-25
Morrens M, Hulstijn W, Sabbe B (2007) Psychomotor slowing in schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 33:1038–1053. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbl051
Oldfield RC (1971) The assessment and analysis of handedness: the Edinburgh inventory. Neuropsychologia 9:97–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/0028-3932(71)90067-4
Pageaux B (2016) Perception of effort in exercise science: definition, measurement and perspectives. Eur J Sport Sci 16:885–894. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2016.1188992
Pageaux B, Lepers R (2016) Fatigue induced by physical and mental exertion increases perception of effort and impairs subsequent endurance performance. Front Physiol 7:587. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2016.00587
Pageaux B, Marcora SM, Lepers R (2013) Prolonged mental exertion does not alter neuromuscular function of the knee extensors. Med Sci Sports Exerc 45:2254–2264. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31829b504a
Pageaux B, Marcora SM, Rozand V, Lepers R (2015) Mental fatigue induced by prolonged self-regulation does not exacerbate central fatigue during subsequent whole-body endurance exercise. Front Hum Neurosci 9:67. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2015.00067
Reeves DL, Winter KP, Bleiberg J, Kane RL (2007) ANAM® Genogram: historical perspectives, description, and current endeavors. Arch Clin Neuropsychol 22 Supplement 1:15–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acn.2006.10.013
Richter M, Friedrich A, Gendolla GHE (2008) Task difficulty effects on cardiac activity. Psychophysiology 45:869–875. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2008.00688.x
Robineau J, Jouaux T, Lacroix M, Babault N (2012) Neuromuscular fatigue induced by a 90-minute soccer game modeling. J Strength Cond Res 26:555–562. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e318220dda0
Rossi S, Hallett M, Rossini PM, Pascual-Leone A (2009) Safety, ethical considerations, and application guidelines for the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation in clinical practice and research. Clin Neurophysiol 120:2008–2039. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2009.08.016
Rossini PM, Barker AT, Berardelli A et al (1994) Non-invasive electrical and magnetic stimulation of the brain, spinal cord and roots: basic principles and procedures for routine clinical application. Report of an IFCN committee. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 91:79–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-4694(94)90029-9
Rozand V, Lebon F, Papaxanthis C, Lepers R (2015) Effect of mental fatigue on speed–accuracy trade-off. Neuroscience 297:219–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.03.066
Seidler RD, Bo J, Anguera JA (2012) Neurocognitive contributions to motor skill learning: the role of working memory. J Mot Behav 44:445–453. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222895.2012.672348
Shortz AE, Mehta RK (2017) Cognitive challenges, aging, and neuromuscular fatigue. Physiol Behav 170:19–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.11.034
Søgaard K, Gandevia SC, Todd G et al (2006) The effect of sustained low-intensity contractions on supraspinal fatigue in human elbow flexor muscles. J Physiol 573:511–523. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2005.103598
Solianik R, Kreivėnaitė L, Streckis V et al (2017) Effects of age and sex on fatigability and recovery from a sustained maximal isometric voluntary contraction. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 32:61–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2016.12.001
Swick D, Jovanovic J (2002) Anterior cingulate cortex and the Stroop task: neuropsychological evidence for topographic specificity. Neuropsychologia 40:1240–1253. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0028-3932(01)00226-3
Tanaka M (2015) Effects of mental fatigue on brain activity and cognitive performance: a magnetoencephalography study. Anat Physiol 4:002. https://doi.org/10.4172/2161-0940.S4-002
Tanaka M, Watanabe Y (2012) Supraspinal regulation of physical fatigue. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 36:727–734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.10.004
Tanaka M, Ishii A, Watanabe Y (2014) Neural effect of mental fatigue on physical fatigue: a magnetoencephalography study. Brain Res 1542:49–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2013.10.018
Tanaka M, Tajima S, Mizuno K et al (2015) Frontier studies on fatigue, autonomic nerve dysfunction, and sleep-rhythm disorder. J Physiol Sci 65:483–498. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12576-015-0399-y
Terry PC, Lane AM, Fogarty GJ (2003) Construct validity of the profile of mood states—adolescents for use with adults. Psychol Sport Exerc 4:125–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1469-0292(01)00035-8
van der Linden D, Frese M, Meijman TF (2003) Mental fatigue and the control of cognitive processes: effects on perseveration and planning. Acta Psychol (Amst) 113:45–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-6918(02)00150-6
Wang C, Trongnetrpunya A, Samuel IBH et al (2016) Compensatory neural activity in response to cognitive fatigue. J Neurosci 36:3919–3924. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3652-15.2016
Williamson JW (2010) The relevance of central command for the neural cardiovascular control of exercise. Exp Physiol 95:1043–1048. https://doi.org/10.1113/expphysiol.2009.051870
Zuoza A, Skurvydas A, Mickeviciene D et al (2009) Behavior of dominant and non dominant arms during ballistic protractive target-directed movements. Hum Physiol 35:576–584. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0362119709050090
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Solianik, R., Satas, A., Mickeviciene, D. et al. Task-relevant cognitive and motor functions are prioritized during prolonged speed–accuracy motor task performance. Exp Brain Res 236, 1665–1678 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-018-5251-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-018-5251-1