title: Cognitive fatigue effects on physical performance during running.
abstract: This study investigated the effect of cognitive fatigue on physical performance in a paced running task. Experienced runners (n = 20) performed two 3,000-m runs on an indoor track, once after cognitive fatigue, and once under nonfatigued conditions. Completion times were significantly slower in the cognitive fatigue condition (M = 12:11,88 min, SD = 0:54,26), compared with the control condition (M = 11:58,56 min, SD = 0:48,39), F(1, 19) = 8.58, p = .009, eta2p = .31. There were no differences in heart rate, t(17) = 0.13, p > .05, blood lactate levels, t(19) = 1.19, p > .05, or ratings of perceived exertion F(1, 19) = .001, p > .05. While previous research has examined the impact of cognitive tasks on physical tasks, this is the first study to examine a self-paced physical task, showing that cognitive activity indeed contributes significantly to overall performance. Specifically, cognitive fatigue increased the perception of exertion, leading to lesser performance on the running task.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: MacMahon
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schücker
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hagemann
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Strauss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005222:Mental Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running; D013997:Time Factors