Effect of Exercise-Induced Fatigue on Attention Networks of Active and Inactive Individuals: A Pilot Study
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Abstract
Background It has been shown that there are some neural contributions to muscle fatigue which decreases the neural drive to the muscle.
Aims This research was aimed to determine whether exercise-induced fatigue can affect cognitive functions, especially those involved in attentional control (i.e., alerting, orientation, and executive functions) and to identify any differences in attentional control between active and inactive individuals after exercise-induced fatigue.
Methods We divided 24 participants into active and inactive subgroups and used sub-maximum aerobic endurance training to induce fatigue to the exhaustion point.
ResultsThe results showed that fatiguing physical activity improved alertness in both groups, decreased orientation speed in the inactive group (and made no significant difference in the active group) and improved the executive control network of the active group. Fatiguing exercise also increased executive control errors in the inactive group.
Conclusions The effect of exercise-induced fatigue on attention networks depended on the participants’ level of physical fitness and the specific task used for measuring each of the attention networks.
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19. Moore RD, Romine MW, O'connor PJ, Tomporowski PD. The influence of exercise-induced fatigue on cognitive function. Journal of sports sciences. 2012;30(9):841-50.
20. Rami Kassem M, Hussein Z, Itab F, Azadeh S. Effect of Proprioceptive Training on Reaction Time: A Randomized Control Trial. Journal of Modern Rehabilitation. 2023;17(2).
21. Schmit C, Davranche K, Easthope CS, Colson SS, Brisswalter J, Radel R. Pushing to the limits: The dynamics of cognitive control during exhausting exercise. Neuropsychologia. 2015;68:71-81.
22. Davranche K, Tempest GD, Gajdos T, Radel R. Impact of physical and cognitive exertion on cognitive control. Frontiers in psychology. 2018;9:2369.
23. Kramer JH, Mungas D, Possin KL, Rankin KP, Boxer AL, Rosen HJ, et al. NIH EXAMINER: conceptualization and development of an executive function battery. Journal of the international neuropsychological society. 2014;20(1):11-9.
24. Collins A, Koechlin E. Reasoning, learning, and creativity: frontal lobe function and human decision-making. PLoS biology. 2012;10(3):e1001293.
25. Lunt L, Bramham J, Morris RG, Bullock PR, Selway RP, Xenitidis K, et al. Prefrontal cortex dysfunction and ‘Jumping to Conclusions’: Bias or deficit? Journal of neuropsychology. 2012;6(1):65-78.
26. Diamond A. Executive functions. Annu Rev Psychol. 2013;64:135-68.
27. Petersen SE, Posner MI. The attention system of the human brain: 20 years after. Annual review of neuroscience. 2012;35:73-89.
28. Sarapas C, Weinberg A, Langenecker SA, Shankman SA. Relationships among attention networks and physiological responding to threat. Brain and cognition. 2017;111:63-72.
29. Corbetta M, Shulman GL. Control of goal-directed and stimulus-driven attention in the brain. Nature reviews Neuroscience. 2002;3(3):201.
30. Rueda MR, Checa P, Cómbita LM. Enhanced efficiency of the executive attention network after training in preschool children: immediate changes and effects after two months. Developmental cognitive neuroscience. 2012;2:S192-S204.
31. Blair C, Ursache A. A bidirectional model of executive functions and self-regulation. Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications. 2011;2:300-20.
32. Posner MI. Orienting of attention. Quarterly journal of experimental psychology. 1980;32(1):3-25.
33. Fan J, McCandliss BD, Sommer T, Raz A, Posner MI. Testing the efficiency and independence of attentional networks. Journal of cognitive neuroscience. 2002;14(3):340-7.
34. Jaeggi SM, Buschkuehl M, Jonides J, Perrig WJ. Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2008;105(19):6829-33.
35. Callejas A, Lupiánez J, Tudela P. The three attentional networks: On their independence and interactions. Brain and cognition. 2004;54(3):225-7.
36. Fan J, Gu X, Guise KG, Liu X, Fossella J, Wang H, et al. Testing the behavioral interaction and integration of attentional networks. Brain and cognition. 2009;70(2):209-20.
37. Gu Q, Zou L, Loprinzi PD, Quan M, Huang T. Effects of open versus closed skill exercise on cognitive function: a systematic review. Frontiers in psychology. 2019:1707.
38. Koch P, Krenn B. Executive functions in elite athletes–Comparing open-skill and closed-skill sports and considering the role of athletes' past involvement in both sport categories. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 2021;55:101925.
39. Wang B, Guo W. Exercise mode and attentional networks in older adults: a cross-sectional study. PeerJ. 2020;8:e8364.
40. Tomporowski PD. Effects of acute bouts of exercise on cognition. Acta psychologica. 2003;112(3):297-324.
41. Rosenberg DE, Bull FC, Marshall AL, Sallis JF, Bauman AE. Assessment of sedentary behavior with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Journal of physical activity & health. 2008;5.
42. Mitchell AJ. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE): an update on its diagnostic validity for cognitive disorders. Cognitive screening instruments: Springer; 2013. p. 15-46.
43. Pérez L, Padilla C, Parmentier FB, Andrés P. The effects of chronic exercise on attentional networks. PLoS One. 2014;9(7):e101478.
44. Connell CJ, Thompson B, Kuhn G, Claffey MP, Duncan S, Gant N. Fatigue related impairments in oculomotor control are prevented by caffeine. Scientific reports. 2016;6.
45. Connell CJ, Thompson B, Kuhn G, Gant N. Exercise-induced fatigue and caffeine supplementation affect psychomotor performance but not covert visuo-spatial attention. PLoS one. 2016;11(10):e0165318.
46. McMorris T. Exercise–cognition interaction: State of the art and future research. Exercise-cognition interaction: Neuroscience perspectives. San Diego, CA, US: Elsevier Academic Press; 2016. p. 459-81.
47. Foley TE, Fleshner M. Neuroplasticity of dopamine circuits after exercise: implications for central fatigue. Neuromolecular medicine. 2008;10(2):67-80.
48. Lambourne K, Tomporowski P. The effect of exercise-induced arousal on cognitive task performance: A meta-regression analysis. Brain research. 2010;1341:12-24.
49. Huertas F, Zahonero J, Sanabria D, Lupiáñez J. Functioning of the attentional networks at rest vs. during acute bouts of aerobic exercise. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 2011;33(5):649-65.
50. Hogervorst E, Riedel W, Jeukendrup A, Jolles J. Cognitive performance after strenuous physical exercise. Perceptual and motor skills. 1996;83(2):479-88.
51. Hillman CH, Kramer AF, Belopolsky AV, Smith DP. A cross-sectional examination of age and physical activity on performance and event-related brain potentials in a task switching paradigm. International Journal of Psychophysiology. 2006;59(1):30-9.
52. Boucard GK, Albinet CT, Bugaiska A, Bouquet CA, Clarys D, Audiffren M. Impact of physical activity on executive functions in aging: a selective effect on inhibition among old adults. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 2012;34(6):808-27.
53. Tomporowski P, Beasman K, Ganio M, Cureton K. Effects of dehydration and fluid ingestion on cognition. International journal of sports medicine. 2007;28(10):891-6.
54. Xuan B, Mackie MA, Spagna A, Wu T, Tian Y, Hof PR, et al. The activation of interactive attentional networks. NeuroImage. 2016;129:308-19.
2. Meeusen R, Watson P, Hasegawa H, Roelands B, Piacentini MF. Brain neurotransmitters in fatigue and overtraining. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 2007;32(5):857-64.
3. Amann M, Dempsey JA. Locomotor muscle fatigue modifies central motor drive in healthy humans and imposes a limitation to exercise performance. The Journal of physiology. 2008;586(1):161-73.
4. Marcora SM, Staiano W, Manning V. Mental fatigue impairs physical performance in humans. Journal of applied physiology. 2009;106(3):857-64.
5. Bray SR, Graham JD, Ginis KAM, Hicks AL. Cognitive task performance causes impaired maximum force production in human hand flexor muscles. Biological psychology. 2012;89(1):195-200.
6. Brownsberger J, Edwards A, Crowther R, Cottrell D. Impact of mental fatigue on self-paced exercise. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2013;34(12):1029-36.
7. Smith MR, Marcora SM, Coutts AJ. Mental fatigue impairs intermittent running performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015;47(8):1682-90.
8. Van Cutsem J, Marcora S, De Pauw K, Bailey S, Meeusen R, Roelands B. The Effects of Mental Fatigue on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review. Sports medicine (Auckland, NZ). 2017;47(8):1569-88.
9. Van Cutsem J, Marcora S, De Pauw K, Bailey S, Meeusen R, Roelands B. The effects of mental fatigue on physical performance: a systematic review. Sports medicine. 2017;47(8):1569-88.
10. Rozand V, Pageaux B, Marcora SM, Papaxanthis C, Lepers R. Does mental exertion alter maximal muscle activation? Frontiers in human neuroscience. 2014;8.
11. Tomporowski PD. Cognitive and behavioral responses to acute exercise in youths: A review. Pediatric Exercise Science. 2003;15(4):348-59.
12. Brisswalter J, Collardeau M, René A. Effects of acute physical exercise characteristics on cognitive performance. Sports medicine. 2002;32(9):555-66.
13. Etnier JL, Salazar W, Landers DM, Petruzzello SJ, Han M, Nowell P. The influence of physical fitness and exercise upon cognitive functioning: A meta-analysis. Journal of sport and Exercise Psychology. 1997;19(3):249-77.
14. Chang Y-K, Labban JD, Gapin JI, Etnier JL. The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: a meta-analysis. Brain research. 2012;1453:87-101.
15. Ludyga S, Gerber M, Pühse U, Looser VN, Kamijo K. Systematic review and meta-analysis investigating moderators of long-term effects of exercise on cognition in healthy individuals. Nature human behaviour. 2020;4(6):603-12.
16. Wilke J, Giesche F, Klier K, Vogt L, Herrmann E, Banzer W. Acute effects of resistance exercise on cognitive function in healthy adults: a systematic review with multilevel meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2019;49(6):905-16.
17. Zhang M, Jia J, Yang Y, Zhang L, Wang X. Effects of exercise interventions on cognitive functions in healthy populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ageing Research Reviews. 2023;92:102116.
18. Grego F, Vallier JM, Collardeau M, Bermon S, Ferrari P, Candito M, et al. Effects of long duration exercise on cognitive function, blood glucose, and counterregulatory hormones in male cyclists. Neuroscience letters. 2004;364(2):76-80.
19. Moore RD, Romine MW, O'connor PJ, Tomporowski PD. The influence of exercise-induced fatigue on cognitive function. Journal of sports sciences. 2012;30(9):841-50.
20. Rami Kassem M, Hussein Z, Itab F, Azadeh S. Effect of Proprioceptive Training on Reaction Time: A Randomized Control Trial. Journal of Modern Rehabilitation. 2023;17(2).
21. Schmit C, Davranche K, Easthope CS, Colson SS, Brisswalter J, Radel R. Pushing to the limits: The dynamics of cognitive control during exhausting exercise. Neuropsychologia. 2015;68:71-81.
22. Davranche K, Tempest GD, Gajdos T, Radel R. Impact of physical and cognitive exertion on cognitive control. Frontiers in psychology. 2018;9:2369.
23. Kramer JH, Mungas D, Possin KL, Rankin KP, Boxer AL, Rosen HJ, et al. NIH EXAMINER: conceptualization and development of an executive function battery. Journal of the international neuropsychological society. 2014;20(1):11-9.
24. Collins A, Koechlin E. Reasoning, learning, and creativity: frontal lobe function and human decision-making. PLoS biology. 2012;10(3):e1001293.
25. Lunt L, Bramham J, Morris RG, Bullock PR, Selway RP, Xenitidis K, et al. Prefrontal cortex dysfunction and ‘Jumping to Conclusions’: Bias or deficit? Journal of neuropsychology. 2012;6(1):65-78.
26. Diamond A. Executive functions. Annu Rev Psychol. 2013;64:135-68.
27. Petersen SE, Posner MI. The attention system of the human brain: 20 years after. Annual review of neuroscience. 2012;35:73-89.
28. Sarapas C, Weinberg A, Langenecker SA, Shankman SA. Relationships among attention networks and physiological responding to threat. Brain and cognition. 2017;111:63-72.
29. Corbetta M, Shulman GL. Control of goal-directed and stimulus-driven attention in the brain. Nature reviews Neuroscience. 2002;3(3):201.
30. Rueda MR, Checa P, Cómbita LM. Enhanced efficiency of the executive attention network after training in preschool children: immediate changes and effects after two months. Developmental cognitive neuroscience. 2012;2:S192-S204.
31. Blair C, Ursache A. A bidirectional model of executive functions and self-regulation. Handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications. 2011;2:300-20.
32. Posner MI. Orienting of attention. Quarterly journal of experimental psychology. 1980;32(1):3-25.
33. Fan J, McCandliss BD, Sommer T, Raz A, Posner MI. Testing the efficiency and independence of attentional networks. Journal of cognitive neuroscience. 2002;14(3):340-7.
34. Jaeggi SM, Buschkuehl M, Jonides J, Perrig WJ. Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2008;105(19):6829-33.
35. Callejas A, Lupiánez J, Tudela P. The three attentional networks: On their independence and interactions. Brain and cognition. 2004;54(3):225-7.
36. Fan J, Gu X, Guise KG, Liu X, Fossella J, Wang H, et al. Testing the behavioral interaction and integration of attentional networks. Brain and cognition. 2009;70(2):209-20.
37. Gu Q, Zou L, Loprinzi PD, Quan M, Huang T. Effects of open versus closed skill exercise on cognitive function: a systematic review. Frontiers in psychology. 2019:1707.
38. Koch P, Krenn B. Executive functions in elite athletes–Comparing open-skill and closed-skill sports and considering the role of athletes' past involvement in both sport categories. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 2021;55:101925.
39. Wang B, Guo W. Exercise mode and attentional networks in older adults: a cross-sectional study. PeerJ. 2020;8:e8364.
40. Tomporowski PD. Effects of acute bouts of exercise on cognition. Acta psychologica. 2003;112(3):297-324.
41. Rosenberg DE, Bull FC, Marshall AL, Sallis JF, Bauman AE. Assessment of sedentary behavior with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Journal of physical activity & health. 2008;5.
42. Mitchell AJ. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE): an update on its diagnostic validity for cognitive disorders. Cognitive screening instruments: Springer; 2013. p. 15-46.
43. Pérez L, Padilla C, Parmentier FB, Andrés P. The effects of chronic exercise on attentional networks. PLoS One. 2014;9(7):e101478.
44. Connell CJ, Thompson B, Kuhn G, Claffey MP, Duncan S, Gant N. Fatigue related impairments in oculomotor control are prevented by caffeine. Scientific reports. 2016;6.
45. Connell CJ, Thompson B, Kuhn G, Gant N. Exercise-induced fatigue and caffeine supplementation affect psychomotor performance but not covert visuo-spatial attention. PLoS one. 2016;11(10):e0165318.
46. McMorris T. Exercise–cognition interaction: State of the art and future research. Exercise-cognition interaction: Neuroscience perspectives. San Diego, CA, US: Elsevier Academic Press; 2016. p. 459-81.
47. Foley TE, Fleshner M. Neuroplasticity of dopamine circuits after exercise: implications for central fatigue. Neuromolecular medicine. 2008;10(2):67-80.
48. Lambourne K, Tomporowski P. The effect of exercise-induced arousal on cognitive task performance: A meta-regression analysis. Brain research. 2010;1341:12-24.
49. Huertas F, Zahonero J, Sanabria D, Lupiáñez J. Functioning of the attentional networks at rest vs. during acute bouts of aerobic exercise. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 2011;33(5):649-65.
50. Hogervorst E, Riedel W, Jeukendrup A, Jolles J. Cognitive performance after strenuous physical exercise. Perceptual and motor skills. 1996;83(2):479-88.
51. Hillman CH, Kramer AF, Belopolsky AV, Smith DP. A cross-sectional examination of age and physical activity on performance and event-related brain potentials in a task switching paradigm. International Journal of Psychophysiology. 2006;59(1):30-9.
52. Boucard GK, Albinet CT, Bugaiska A, Bouquet CA, Clarys D, Audiffren M. Impact of physical activity on executive functions in aging: a selective effect on inhibition among old adults. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 2012;34(6):808-27.
53. Tomporowski P, Beasman K, Ganio M, Cureton K. Effects of dehydration and fluid ingestion on cognition. International journal of sports medicine. 2007;28(10):891-6.
54. Xuan B, Mackie MA, Spagna A, Wu T, Tian Y, Hof PR, et al. The activation of interactive attentional networks. NeuroImage. 2016;129:308-19.
| Issue | Articles in Press | |
| Section | Research Article(s) | |
| Keywords | ||
| Central fatigue endurance training alertness orientation executive function | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Kayvani M, Soltani S, Kavyani A. Effect of Exercise-Induced Fatigue on Attention Networks of Active and Inactive Individuals: A Pilot Study. jmr. 2025;(-).
