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NeuroImage. Clinical 2020Emerging evidence suggests that mental fatigue is a central component of the cognitive and clinical characteristics of stress-related exhaustion disorder (ED). Yet, the...
Emerging evidence suggests that mental fatigue is a central component of the cognitive and clinical characteristics of stress-related exhaustion disorder (ED). Yet, the underlying mechanisms of mental fatigue in this patient group are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate cortical and subcortical structural neural correlates of mental fatigue in patients with ED, and to explore the association between mental fatigue and cognitive functioning. Fifty-five patients with clinical ED diagnosis underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Mental fatigue was assessed using the Concentration subscale from the Checklist Individual Strength. Patients with high levels of mental fatigue (n = 30) had smaller caudate and putamen volumes compared to patients with low-moderate levels of mental fatigue (n = 25). No statistically significant differences in cortical thickness were observed between the groups. Mediation analysis showed that mental fatigue mediated the relationship between caudate volume and working memory; specifically, smaller caudate volume was associated with higher level of mental fatigue and mental fatigue was positively associated with working memory performance. Our findings demonstrate that the structural integrity of the striatum is of relevance for the subjective perception of mental fatigue in ED, while also highlighting the complex relationship between mental fatigue, cognitive performance and its neural underpinnings.
Topics: Brain; Cognition; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Memory, Short-Term; Mental Fatigue
PubMed: 32652491
DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102337 -
PloS One 2016Given the important role of the brain in regulating endurance performance, this comparative study sought to determine whether professional road cyclists have superior...
PURPOSE
Given the important role of the brain in regulating endurance performance, this comparative study sought to determine whether professional road cyclists have superior inhibitory control and resistance to mental fatigue compared to recreational road cyclists.
METHODS
After preliminary testing and familiarization, eleven professional and nine recreational road cyclists visited the lab on two occasions to complete a modified incongruent colour-word Stroop task (a cognitive task requiring inhibitory control) for 30 min (mental exertion condition), or an easy cognitive task for 10 min (control condition) in a randomized, counterbalanced cross-over order. After each cognitive task, participants completed a 20-min time trial on a cycle ergometer. During the time trial, heart rate, blood lactate concentration, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded.
RESULTS
The professional cyclists completed more correct responses during the Stroop task than the recreational cyclists (705±68 vs 576±74, p = 0.001). During the time trial, the recreational cyclists produced a lower mean power output in the mental exertion condition compared to the control condition (216±33 vs 226±25 W, p = 0.014). There was no difference between conditions for the professional cyclists (323±42 vs 326±35 W, p = 0.502). Heart rate, blood lactate concentration, and RPE were not significantly different between the mental exertion and control conditions in both groups.
CONCLUSION
The professional cyclists exhibited superior performance during the Stroop task which is indicative of stronger inhibitory control than the recreational cyclists. The professional cyclists also displayed a greater resistance to the negative effects of mental fatigue as demonstrated by no significant differences in perception of effort and time trial performance between the mental exertion and control conditions. These findings suggest that inhibitory control and resistance to mental fatigue may contribute to successful road cycling performance. These psychobiological characteristics may be either genetic and/or developed through the training and lifestyle of professional road cyclists.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Bicycling; Humans; Male; Mental Fatigue; Perception; Reaction Time; Stroop Test; Young Adult
PubMed: 27441380
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159907 -
Brain and Behavior Aug 2018Mental fatigue is a common subjective symptom following an acquired brain injury. In many cases, this is long-lasting with a considerable negative impact on work,...
OBJECTIVE
Mental fatigue is a common subjective symptom following an acquired brain injury. In many cases, this is long-lasting with a considerable negative impact on work, studies, social activities, and quality of life. No objective test for mental fatigue exists today. The aim of this study was to investigate whether mental fatigue can be objectively measured.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study included 32 controls with no mental fatigue and 42 well-rehabilitated participants who suffered from long-term mental fatigue following stroke, traumatic brain injury, encephalitis or meningitis, and late effects after brain tumor. Attention, processing speed and working memory were assessed using a test and retest design following a demanding reading exercise.
RESULTS
Significant interactions were found for tests measuring processing speed, working memory, and attention. The control group improved at the second test, while those who suffered from mental fatigue did not.
CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates impaired cognitive performance over time after cognitive activity for individuals suffering from mental fatigue after an acquired brain injury.
Topics: Adult; Brain Injuries; Cognition Disorders; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Fatigue; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests
PubMed: 29956894
DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1056 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2021The objective of this study is to explore the mediator role of cognitive fusion and chronic pain acceptance on the effects that the walking pattern, following an...
The objective of this study is to explore the mediator role of cognitive fusion and chronic pain acceptance on the effects that the walking pattern, following an established clinical guideline for physical exercise, can have on fatigue (physical and mental) in patients with chronic pain. The sample consisted of a total of 231 women with fibromyalgia with a mean age of 56.91 years (Standard Deviation SD = 9.58 years, range 30-78 years). The results show a significant indirect effect of the walking pattern on both physical and mental fatigue through cognitive fusion and chronic pain acceptance. Specifically, walking predicted less cognitive fusion, which predicted greater chronic pain acceptance, which, in turn, predicted less mental and physical fatigue (Beta-B- = -0.04, Standard Error SE = 0.02, 95% Confidence Interval 95% CI = [-0.09, -0.02]; B = -0.09, SE = 0.05, 95% CI = [-0.22, -0,15], respectively). It can be concluded that the walking pattern is linked to both physical and mental fatigue through cognitive defusion and chronic pain acceptance. These cognitive abilities would allow fibromyalgia patients to perceive an improvement in both physical and mental fatigue by carrying out the walking pattern. Emphasizing the training of cognitive defusion and pain acceptance would improve the adherence of these patients to walking.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Chronic Pain; Cognition; Exercise; Female; Humans; Mental Fatigue; Middle Aged; Walking
PubMed: 34948758
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413148 -
PloS One 2022The effects of mental fatigue have been studied in relation to specific percentages of maximal aerobic or anaerobic efforts, maximal voluntary contractions or the...
The effects of mental fatigue have been studied in relation to specific percentages of maximal aerobic or anaerobic efforts, maximal voluntary contractions or the performance of sport specific skills. However, its effects on tremor, dexterity and force steadiness have been only marginally explored. The present work aimed at filling this gap. In twenty-nine young individuals, measurement of postural, kinetic and isometric tremor, pinch force steadiness and finger and hand dexterity were performed before and after either 100 min of mental fatigue or control tasks. During the interventions blood pressure, oxygen saturation and heart rate and perceived effort in continuing the task were recorded every 10 minutes. Tremor was analysed in both time (standard deviation) and frequency domain (position, amplitude and area of the dominant peak) of the acceleration signal. Finger dexterity was assessed by Purdue pegboard test and hand dexterity in terms of contact time in a buzz wire exercise. Force steadiness was quantified as coefficient of variation of the force signal. Postural, kinetic and isometric tremors, force steadiness and dexterity were not affected. Higher oxygen saturation values and higher variability of heart rate and blood pressure were found in the intervention group during the mental fatigue protocol (p < .001). The results provide no evidence that mental fatigue affects the neuromuscular parameters that influence postural, kinetic or isometric tremor, force steadiness and dexterity when measured in single-task conditions. Increased variability in heart rate may suggest that the volunteers in the intervention group altered their alert/stress state. Therefore, it is possible that the alterations that are commonly observed during mental fatigue, and that could have affected tremor, steadiness and dexterity only last for the duration of the cognitive task and are not detectable anymore soon after the mental task is terminated.
Topics: Fingers; Humans; Isometric Contraction; Mental Fatigue; Motor Skills; Muscle, Skeletal; Tremor
PubMed: 35947592
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272033 -
Ear and Hearing 2016Fatigue is common in individuals with a variety of chronic health conditions and can have significant negative effects on quality of life. Although limited in scope,... (Review)
Review
Fatigue is common in individuals with a variety of chronic health conditions and can have significant negative effects on quality of life. Although limited in scope, recent work suggests persons with hearing loss may be at increased risk for fatigue, in part due to effortful listening that is exacerbated by their hearing impairment. However, the mechanisms responsible for hearing loss-related fatigue, and the efficacy of audiologic interventions for reducing fatigue, remain unclear. To improve our understanding of hearing loss-related fatigue, as a field it is important to develop a common conceptual understanding of this construct. In this article, the broader fatigue literature is reviewed to identify and describe core constructs, consequences, and methods for assessing fatigue and related constructs. Finally, the current knowledge linking hearing loss and fatigue is described and may be summarized as follows: Hearing impairment may increase the risk of subjective fatigue and vigor deficits; adults with hearing loss require more time to recover from fatigue after work and have more work absences; sustained, effortful, listening can be fatiguing; optimal methods for eliciting and measuring fatigue in persons with hearing loss remain unclear and may vary with listening condition; and amplification may minimize decrements in cognitive processing speed during sustained effortful listening. Future research is needed to develop reliable measurement methods to quantify hearing loss-related fatigue, explore factors responsible for modulating fatigue in people with hearing loss, and identify and evaluate potential interventions for reducing hearing loss-related fatigue.
Topics: Classification; Cognition; Fatigue; Hearing Loss; Humans; Mental Fatigue; Quality of Life
PubMed: 27355763
DOI: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000289 -
Brain and Behavior Jul 2023Fatigue is defined as a symptom of exhaustion unexplained by drug effects or psychiatric disorders and comprises two main components (i.e., central or "mental" and...
INTRODUCTION
Fatigue is defined as a symptom of exhaustion unexplained by drug effects or psychiatric disorders and comprises two main components (i.e., central or "mental" and peripheral or "physical" components), both influencing global disability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We aim at investigating the clinical correlations between "physical" and "mental" components of fatigue, measured by the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory scale, and motor and cognitive/behavioral disability in a large sample of patients with ALS. We also investigated the correlations between these measures of fatigue and resting-state functional connectivity of brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) large-scale networks in a subset of patients.
METHODS
One hundred and thirty ALS patients were assessed for motor disability, cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions, fatigue, anxiety, apathy, and daytime sleepiness. Moreover, the collected clinical parameters were correlated with RS-fMRI functional connectivity changes in the large-scale brain networks of 30 ALS patients who underwent MRI.
RESULTS
Multivariate correlation analysis revealed that "physical" fatigue was related to anxiety and respiratory dysfunction, while "mental" fatigue was related to memory impairment and apathy. Moreover, the mental fatigue score was directly related to functional connectivity in the right and left insula (within the salience network), and inversely related to functional connectivity in the left middle temporal gyrus (within the default mode network).
CONCLUSIONS
Although the "physical" component of fatigue may be influenced by the disease itself, in ALS the "mental" component of fatigue correlates with cognitive and behavioral impairment, as well as with alterations of functional connectivity in extra-motor networks.
Topics: Humans; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Disabled Persons; Motor Disorders; Brain; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Mental Fatigue; Cognition
PubMed: 37349911
DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2931 -
The International Journal of Social... Mar 2021The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and psychological fatigue as a mental health issue among the population of...
AIM
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and psychological fatigue as a mental health issue among the population of Istanbul, Turkey.
PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS
This is a cross-sectional study conducted in Istanbul, Turkey, between March and June 2020, where a total of 4,700 persons were approached and 3,672 (78%) of participants (64.4% males and 35.6% females) completed the Knowledge Attitude Practices (KAP) and Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) questionnaires.
RESULTS
In this study, 64.1% of participants were categorized as psychologically fatigued and 35.9% as normal. There was a significant difference between fatigued and normal participants with respect to age, educational level, occupational status, place of residence and number of family members ( < .001). Other differences related to knowledge of COVID-19 were symptoms, treatment, ways of spreading ( < .001), prevention by avoiding crowded places ( = .008) and isolation ( = .002). For attitudinal items, normal participants generally showed more positive attitudes than the fatigued in believing that COVID-19 will finally be controlled, satisfaction with preventive measures taken by the authorities, reporting suspected cases with symptoms and trusting that Turkey can overcome the COVID-19 pandemic ( < .001). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis indicated that level of education, avoiding going to crowded places, eye, nose and mouth organs are sensitive organs to the virus, keeping physical distance due to epidemic affect by COVID-19 virus, isolation and treatment of people reduce the spread of COVID-19 virus and 14-days period of time, COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through contact with the respiratory droplets of an infected person, occupational status, health education programme needed and antibody treatment variables were significantly associated with fatigue after adjusting for age, gender and income variables.
CONCLUSION
The current study provides valuable information for policymakers and mental health professionals worldwide regarding associations between the mental health of individuals and the ongoing outbreak, COVİD-19.
Topics: Adult; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Male; Mental Fatigue; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Turkey
PubMed: 32650681
DOI: 10.1177/0020764020941889 -
Trauma, Violence & Abuse Jan 2023Trauma- (and violence-) informed care (T(V)IC) has emerged as an important practice approach across a spectrum of care settings; however how to measure its... (Review)
Review
Trauma- (and violence-) informed care (T(V)IC) has emerged as an important practice approach across a spectrum of care settings; however how to measure its implementation and impact has not been well-examined. The purpose of this scoping review is to describe the nature and extent of available measures of T(V)IC, including the cross-cutting concepts of vicarious trauma and implicit bias. Using multiple search strategies, including searches conducted by a professional librarian from database inception to Summer 2020, 1074 articles were retrieved and independently screened for eligibility by two team members. A total of 228 were reviewed in full text, yielding 13 measures that met pre-defined inclusion criteria: 1) full-text available in English; 2) describes the initial development and validation of a measure, that 3) is intended to be used to evaluate T(V)IC. A related review of vicarious trauma measures yielded two that are predominant in this literature. Among the 13 measures identified, there was significant diversity in what aspects of T(V)IC are assessed, with a clear emphasis on "knowledge" and "safety", and less on "collaboration/choice" and "strengths-based" concepts. The items and measures are roughly split in terms of assessing individual-level knowledge, attitudes and practices, and organizational policies and protocols. Few measures examine structural factors, including racism, misogyny, poverty and other inequities, and their impact on people's lives. We conclude that existing measures do not generally cover the full potential range of the T(V)IC, and that those seeking such a measure would need to adapt and/or combine two or more existing tools.
Topics: Humans; Compassion Fatigue; Violence; Delivery of Health Care
PubMed: 34235986
DOI: 10.1177/15248380211029399 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2021: Research in sport, military, and aerospace populations has shown that mental fatigue may impair cognitive performance. The effect of nutritional interventions that may... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Effects of Nutritional Interventions on Accuracy and Reaction Time with Relevance to Mental Fatigue in Sporting, Military, and Aerospace Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
: Research in sport, military, and aerospace populations has shown that mental fatigue may impair cognitive performance. The effect of nutritional interventions that may mitigate such negative effects has been investigated. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to quantify the effects of nutritional interventions on cognitive domains often measured in mental fatigue research. : A systematic search for articles was conducted using key terms relevant to mental fatigue in sport, military, and aerospace populations. Two reviewers screened 11,495 abstracts and 125 full texts. A meta-analysis was conducted whereby effect sizes were calculated using subgroups for nutritional intervention and cognitive domains. : Fourteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. The consumption of energy drinks was found to have a small positive effect on reaction time, whilst the use of beta-alanine, carbohydrate, and caffeine had no effect. Carbohydrate and caffeine use had no effect on accuracy. : The results of this meta-analysis suggest that consuming energy drinks may improve reaction time. The lack of effect observed for other nutritional interventions is likely due to differences in the type, timing, dosage, and form of administration. More rigorous randomized controlled trials related to the effect of nutrition interventions before, during, and after induced mental fatigue are required.
Topics: Caffeine; Humans; Mental Fatigue; Military Personnel; Reaction Time; Sports
PubMed: 35010566
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010307