ЕFFECT OF COGNITIVE LOAD ON STRENGTH INDICATORS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

The research purpose is to determine the effect of preliminary cognitive load on the maximum voluntary strength and endurance during carpal dynamometry.

Methods and organization of the research. The study involved 24 male students aged 19.04 ± 1.37 years who were divided into experimental (EG) and control (CG) groups. The experiment included the use of subjective scales: mood (BRUMS), mental fatigue (VAS), intrinsic motivation, a test for assessing working memory, as well as fixing an assessment of the perceived load – before performing carpal dynamometry for the manifestation of maximum voluntary strength (MVS) and strength endurance, with simultaneous measurement of the electrical activity of the muscles. Each measurement was carried out before and after presented tasks: the modified Stroop test (in the EG) and 30 minutes of watching a film (in the CG).

Results and their discussion. The best dynamometry attempt before and after the tasks significantly differed (p<0.001) both in the EG (before – 481.25 N (462.15; 534.93) and after – 442.1 N (400.7; 490.5)), and in the CG (before – 462.85 N (442.18; 500.4) and after – 431.35 N (403.5; 455.28)). The time of maximum retention of the dynamometer handle had no significant differences in both groups (EG – before – 68.21 sec. (55.67; 124.7) and after – 71.29 sec. (47.5; 106.65), CG – before – 54.03 sec. (49.02; 81.49) and after completing tasks – 63.84 sec. (51.81; 95.23)). When calculating the retention time of 50% of the MVS, only CG showed significant changes (before – 9.92 sec. (7.1; 14.01) and after – 5.41 sec. (3.49; 9.49) at p <0.023).

Conclusion. The data obtained showed the same type of changes in the MVS in both study groups, which suggests the equality of the influence of cognitive load and watching a film. The maximum holding time of the dynamometer handle, apparently, confirms this assumption, which is consistent with some previous studies. In further studies, it is necessary to increase the sample size and use other control tasks to prove/refute this hypothesis.

• Bakhchina, A.V., Serova M. S., Sineokova T. N., Bulanov N. A., Polevaya S. A. [Bilingual Stroop test as a way to display the linguistic functions of the brain]. Nonlinear Dynamics in Cognitive Research, 2015, pp. 27-29 (in Russ.).
• Polevaya, S.A., Eremin E. V., Bulanov N. A., Bakhchin A. V., Kovalchuk A. V., Parin S. B. [Event-related heart rate telemetry for personalized remote monitoring of cognitive functions and stress in natural activities]. Modern technologies in medicine, 2019, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 109-115 (in Russ.).
• Chernigovskaya, T. V., Parina I. S., Alekseeva S. V., Konina A. A., Urich D. K., Mansurova Yu. O., Parin S. B. [Simultaneous translation: characteristics of vegetative provision of extreme cognitive load]. Modern technologies in medicine, 2019, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 132-140 (in Russ.).
• Aitken, B., MacMahon C. Shared demands between cognitive and physical tasks may drive negative effects of fatigue: a focused review. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2019, vol. 1, doi: 10.3389/fspor.2019.00045.
• Bray, S. R., Martin Ginis K. A., Hicks A. L., Woodgate J. Effects of self-regulatory strength depletion on muscular performance and EMG activation. Psychophysiology, 2008, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 337-343.
• Brown, D. M. Y., Graham J. D., Innes K. I., Harris S., Flemington A., Bray S. R. Effects of prior cognitive exertion on physical performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 2020, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 497-529.
• Brown, D. M. Y., Farias Zuniga A., Mulla D. M., Mendonca D., Keir P. J., Bray S. R. Investigating the effects of mental fatigue on resistance exercise performance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021, vol. 18, no. 13, doi: 10.3390/ijerph18136794.
• Budini, F., Lowery M., Durbaba R., De Vito G. Effect of mental fatigue on induced tremor in human knee extensors. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 2014, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 412-418.
• Budini, F., Labanca L., Scholz M., Macaluso A. Tremor, finger and hand dexterity and force steadiness, do not change after mental fatigue in healthy humans. Plos one, 2022, vol. 17, no. 8, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272033.
• Connell, C. J. W., Thompson B., Turuwhenua J., Srzich A., Gant N. Fatigue-related impairments in oculomotor control are prevented by norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibition. Scientific reports, 2017, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 1-12.
• Craig, A. D. How do you feel? Interoception: the sense of the physiological condition of the body. Nature reviews neuroscience, 2002, vol. 3, no. 8, pp. 655-666.
• Dotan, R., Woods S., Contessa P. On the reliability and validity of central fatigue determination. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2021, vol. 121, no. 9, pp. 2393-2411.
• Ferris, J. R., Tomlinson M. A., Ward T. N., Pepin M. E., Malek M.H. Reduced electromyographic fatigue threshold after performing a cognitive fatiguing task. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 2021, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 267-274.
• Gu, X., Hof P. R., Friston K. J., Fan J. Anterior insular cortex and emotional awareness. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 2013, vol. 521, no. 15, pp. 3371-3388.
• Hakim, H., Khemiri A., Chortane O. G., Boukari S., Chortane S. G., Bianco A., Marsigliante S., Patti A., Muscella A. Mental fatigue effects on the produced perception of effort and its impact on subsequent physical performances. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022., vol. 19, no. 17, doi: 10.3390/ijerph191710973.
• Holgado, D., Troya E., Perales J. C., Vadillo M. A., Sanabria D. Does mental fatigue impair physical performance? A replication study. European journal of sport science, 2021, vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 762-770.
• Holgado, D., Sanabria D., Perales J. C., Vadillo M. A. Mental fatigue might be not so bad for exercise performance after all: A systematic review and bias-sensitive meta-analysis. Journal of Cognition, 2020, vol. 3, no. 1, doi: 10.5334/joc.126.
• Lane, A. M., Devonport T. J., Beedie C. J. Can anger and tension be helpful? Emotions associated with optimal performance. Athletic Insight, 2012, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 187-197.
• MacMahon, C., Parrington L., Pickering T., Aitken B., Schücker L. Understanding the effects of cognitive tasks on physical performance: A constraints framework to guide further research. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2021, pp. 1-35.
• Marcora, S. M. Do we really need a central governor to explain brain regulation of exercise performance? European journal of applied physiology, 2008, vol. 104, no. 5, pp. 929-931.
• Martin, K., Thompson K. G., Keegan R., Ball N., Rattray B. Mental fatigue does not affect maximal anaerobic exercise performance. European journal of applied physiology, 2015, vol. 115, no. 4, pp. 715-725.
• Martin, K., Meeusen R., Thompson K. G., Keegan R., Rattray B. Mental fatigue impairs endurance performance: a physiological explanation. Sports medicine, 2018, vol. 48, no. 9, pp. 2041-2051.
• McMorris, T., Barwood M., Hale B. J., Dicks M., Corbett J. Cognitive fatigue effects on physical performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Physiology & Behavior, 2018, vol. 188, pp. 103-107.
• McMorris, T. Cognitive fatigue effects on physical performance: The role of interoception. Sports Medicine, 2020, vol. 50, no. 10, pp. 1703-1708.
• Meeusen, R., Van Cutsem J., Roelands B. Endurance exercise-induced and mental fatigue and the brain. Experimental physiology, 2021, vol. 106, no. 12, pp. 2294-2298.
• Pageaux, B., Lepers R. The effects of mental fatigue on sport-related performance. Progress in brain research, 2018, vol. 240, pp. 291-315.
• Pageaux, B. The psychobiological model of endurance performance: an effort-based decision-making theory to explain self-paced endurance performance. Sports Medicine, 2014, vol. 44, no. 9, doi: 10.1007/s40279-014-0198-2.
• Pattyn, N. Bridging exercise science, cognitive psychology, and medical practice: Is “cognitive fatigue” a remake of “the emperor’s new clothes”? Frontiers in Psychology, 2018, vol. 9, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01246.
• Ranieri, F., Di Lazzaro V. The role of motor neuron drive in muscle fatigue. Neuromuscular Disorders, 2012, vol. 22, pp. S157-S161.
• Schlichta, C., Cabral L. L., Da Silva C. K., Bigliassi M., Pereira G. Exploring the Impact of Mental Fatigue and Emotional Suppression on the Performance of High-Intensity Endurance Exercise. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 2022, doi: 10.1177/00315125221093898.
• Singer, T., Critchley H. D., Preuschoff K. A common role of insula in feelings, empathy and uncertainty. Trends in cognitive sciences, 2009, vol. 13, no. 8, pp. 334-340.
• Stroop, J. R. Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions. Journal of experimental psychology, 1935, vol. 18, no. 6, pp. 643-662.
• 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, vol. 47, no. 8, pp. 1569-1588.
• Vymyslický, P., Pavlů D., Pánek D. Effect of Mental Task on Sex Differences in Muscle Fatigability: A Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022, vol. 19, no. 20, doi: 10.3390/ijerph192013621.