Effects of Physical Fatigue on Cognitive Load and Performance Under Dual-Task Environments.

Riphah International University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Cognitive Load; Fatigue

Treatments: Other: Mild-intensity physical fatigue; Other: Moderate-intensity physical fatigue; Other: High-intensity physical fatigue

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06941701

REC/02028 Imran Amjad

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to determine how different levels of physical fatigue influence cognitive load and performance during dual-task activities.

1. To assess the changes in cognitive task performance under varying levels of physical fatigue.
2. There is an association between cognitive loading and physical fatigue.

Full description

Working efficiency in our daily routine is hindered by constant change, urgency, and the demands of sustained efforts, all of which contribute to health and safety problems, and are extremely imprudent of human resources in the workplace, due to which individuals would raise anxiety, causing more attention required for task completion and thereby increasing cognitive load. Cognitive loading refers to the mental effort needed to process information and perform tasks. Physical performance is not only related to physical factors, psychological factors also have the potential to determine physical performance. Mental workload is defined as the difference between the cognitive demand of a particular task and the operator's attention resources. When cognitive demands exceed available resources, mental fatigue can occur, often reflected in decreased motor function and impaired physical performance. Fatigue is recognized as a dimensional phenomenon encompassing cognitive and motor fatigue. It is debatable whether cognitive fatigue is a spontaneous phenomenon or provoked by exertion or whether cognitive fatigue is provoked by cognitive effort or also through physical exercise. Physical fatigue develops more quickly when the brain has to devote resources to highly cognitive tasks. Influence of cognitive load on the dynamics of neurophysiological adjustments during exercise which causes fatigue explained by the interaction of various psychological and neurophysiological factors including higher perceived exertion, greater perturbations of autonomic nervous system activity, and cerebral impairments leading to earlier onset of central fatigue. The brain is like other biological tissue tired out when overused. Since the impact of physical exercise on cognitive functioning is dependent on the characteristics of the physical exercise load. Previous research has demonstrated a small-to-medium negative effect of cognitive exertion on subsequent physical performance. Our study aims to explore the interplay between varying levels of physical fatigue and cognitive performance. Specifically, we will examine how different intensities of physical load affect mental load and associated physiological functions. By investigating these relationships, we seek to provide insights into optimizing performance in dual-task environments, ultimately contributing to better health and efficiency in the workplace.

Enrollment: 90 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Individuals aged 18 to 30 years.
• Physically healthy individuals.
• Willingness to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Cognitive Impairment.
• Neurological injury.
• Cardiac, pulmonary, or inflammatory diseases.
• Mental health conditions include depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Individuals unwilling to participate.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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90 participants in 3 patient groups

Group 1

Experimental group

Description:

Participants with a target Heart rate range of 50-60% of their maximum heart rate. All members of Group 1 who meet the eligibility criteria will perform a cognitive task before undergoing mild-intensity physical fatigue induced by treadmill training. After that participants will complete the cognitive task again. To eliminate bias, three different levels of physical exertion will be randomly assigned.

Treatment:

Other: Mild-intensity physical fatigue

Group 2

Experimental group

Description:

Participants with a target Heart rate range of 60-70% of their maximum heart rate. All members of group 2 who meet the eligibility criteria will perform a cognitive task before undergoing moderate-intensity physical fatigue induced by treadmill training. After that participants will complete the cognitive task again. To eliminate bias, three different levels of physical exertion will be randomly assigned.

Treatment:

Other: Moderate-intensity physical fatigue

Group 3

Experimental group

Description:

Participants with a target Heart rate range of 70-80% of their maximum heart rate. All members of group 3 who meet the eligibility criteria will perform a cognitive task before undergoing high-intensity physical fatigue induced by treadmill training. After that participants will complete the cognitive task again. To eliminate bias, three different levels of physical exertion will be randomly assigned.

Treatment:

Other: High-intensity physical fatigue