Motor fatigue and cognitive task performance in humans

Lorist, Monicque M.; Kernell, Daniel; Meijman, Theo F.; Zijdewind, Inge · 2002 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2002.027938

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Summary

This study investigates the interaction between motor fatigue and cognitive performance, specifically addressing how the central nervous system manages concurrent motor and cognitive demands. While motor fatigue is known to increase the central command intensity required to maintain force, it remains unclear how this increased central load affects cognitive functions. The authors hypothesized that fatiguing muscle contractions would impair cognitive performance due to the heightened involvement of central force-controlling mechanisms, whereas non-fatiguing contractions would not. The experiment involved sixteen healthy adults performing an auditory choice reaction task (CRT) under four conditions: CRT alone, CRT combined with a fatiguing submaximal contraction (30% of maximal voluntary contraction, cMVC), CRT combined with a non-fatiguing contraction (5% cMVC), and the fatiguing contraction alone. Participants maintained force levels while responding to auditory stimuli, with maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) interspersed to monitor fatigue levels. Two experimental sessions were conducted to compare the effects of high-force (fatiguing) versus low-force (non-fatiguing) motor tasks on cognitive metrics, including reaction time and error rates. Results demonstrated that cognitive performance remained stable during the CRT alone and during the dual-task condition involving the non-fatiguing 5% cMVC contraction. However, in the fatiguing dual-task condition (30% cMVC), cognitive performance deteriorated significantly over time. Reaction times increased, and the percentage of incorrect responses rose, particularly for infrequent stimuli. Concurrently, motor fatigue was confirmed by a significant decline in MVC force and an increase in force variability. Notably, the rise in force variability was significantly greater during the fatiguing dual-task condition than during the fatiguing contraction performed alone, indicating that the cognitive task further destabilized motor control. The findings indicate a mutual interference between cognitive functions and the central mechanisms driving motor behavior during fatigue. The deterioration of cognitive performance specifically during fatiguing contractions suggests that the increased central command intensity required to maintain force competes for resources with cognitive processing. This study provides evidence that motor fatigue is not merely a peripheral phenomenon but involves central mechanisms that can impair concurrent cognitive tasks, highlighting the importance of considering motor-cognitive interactions in contexts involving prolonged physical effort.

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• dual task performance