The Effects of Mental Fatigue on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Abstract:Background: Mental fatigue is a psychobiological state caused by prolonged periods of demanding cognitive activity. Mental fatigue has recently been suggested to affect physical performance. Objective: To evaluate the literature on the impairment in physical performance due to mental fatigue and to create an overview of the potential factors underlying this effect. Data Sources: Two electronic databases, PubMed and Web of Science (until 28 April 2016) were searched. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: Studies had to be designed to test whether mental fatigue influenced performance on 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: Eleven articles were included, of which six were of strong and five of moderate quality. The general finding was a decline in endurance performance (decreased timeto-exhaustion and self-selected power output/velocity or increased completion-time) due to mental fatigue, associated with a higher than normal perceived exertion. Physiological variables traditionally associated with endurance performance (heart rate, blood lactate, oxygen uptake, cardiac output, VO2) were unaffected by mental fatigue. Maximal strength, power and anaerobic work were observed not to be affected by mental fatigue. Conclusion: 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. Powered by Edit orial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Syst em s Corporat ionA E Dear editor, we thank you for the revisions. We also revised the paper once more on grammar and vocabulary and subsequently adjusted some words, rephrased a couple of sentences and removed some redundant sentences (mainly in section 4.5 and 5). We hope you agree with these specific changes and want to emphasize that no changes were made to the content of the manuscript (in order to demonstrate this all deleted words and sentences are also indicated in the manuscript with tracked changes).1. Section 3.4 please number the subsections in this section 3.4. This was adjusted.3. Section 4.5, sentence 1This was adjusted. Compliance with Ethical Standards section S B SM This was adjusted. Conflicts of Interest section S B S MThis was adjusted.6. References list the References list no longer has the corrected formatting that was evident in the Revision 1 version of this list. Therefore, can you please reinstate the Revision 1 version, which incorporated the requested formatting changes from the submitted version. However, please also note that the revised version of the References list in Revision 1 had 77 references, whereas the version in Revision 2 has 82 references. Therefore, the format-corrected version in Revision 1 cannot simply be transplanted into Revision 3 it ...

Mental fatigue as a conditioner of the tactical and physical response in soccer players: a pilot study

“…Studies have shown the effects of mental fatigue are related to reduction of the capability of processing information [5], maintaining high levels of attention [6], anticipating actions [7], and making decisions [8]. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that mental fatigue promotes negative effects in endurance activities [9], physical tests, and executing technical abilities [10].…”

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“…Portanto, a partir desses pressupostos, e da premente necessidade de se romper com métodos de ensino e treinamento tradicionais, sustentados pelo paradigma positivista e pela psicologia behaviorista (54,55) , é possível entrever, na pedagogia do jogo, um modelo metodológico de ensino sustentado na ideia de Família dos Jogos Esportivos Coletivos e seu padrão organizacional -guiados pelo paradigma sistêmico, complexo e ecológico (33,46,47,48,49,52,54) .…”

“…Como as situações esportivas exigem dos jogadores respostas rápidas e efetivas (16,60) , o melhor desenvolvimento da cognição ajudará a minimizar as consequências do desgaste cognitivo sobre as respostas físicas e motoras (8,44,54,59) .…”

“…Esta constatação é sobremaneira importante, pois permite a construção de metodologias que se pautam no ensino de jogos por meio de jogos (a pedagogia do jogo) (52,53,56) , além do fato de comungar e alicerçar inúmeras outras inovadoras metodologias existentes (44,45,54,55) , e que já apresentam evidências científicas, provenientes de metodologias de investigação sistemáticas e rigorosas produzidas pelo LEPE-FCA/UNICAMP -Laboratório de Estudos em Pedagogia do Esporte -Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas/UNICAMP (4,29,30,31,34,50,51,52,55) .…”

“…As inovadoras e progressistas metodologias podem ser agrupadas no que se denomina novas tendências em Pedagogia do Esporte (50) , pois todas, mesmo partindo de matrizes e referenciais teóricos diferentes, buscam incessantemente afirmação e aceitação em meio ao embate contra metodologias tradicionais/analíticas (54,55) .…”