Mental fatigue and motor performance: Functional and mechanistic insights

尽管一个多世纪以来一直有人认为，认知需求会导致精神疲劳，从而对运动能力产生负面影响，但令人惊讶的是，几乎没有科学数据支持这一观点。这一领域的研究主要局限于主观报告或行为结果，对精神疲劳的客观评估很少，对相关机制的洞察也有限。这项建议概述了一个系统的方法，包括客观的、功能性的和机械性的结果，对于理解精神疲劳对运动能力的影响和潜在机制至关重要。众所周知，同时执行认知和运动任务会导致其中一项或两项任务的绩效下降。然而，这些研究涉及专门为避免疲劳而设计的敏锐执行的任务。在精神疲劳的情况下，是否会出现类似的运动功能受损，仍有待研究。这项拟议的研究将采用客观方法来解决三个主要问题：(1)精神疲劳如何影响神经肌肉功能？(2)精神疲劳如何影响运动控制？(3)精神疲劳如何影响任务特定脑区的兴奋性和抑制性神经递质？随着与科技驱动的日常环境的持续认知需求相关的事故发生率上升，充分揭示精神疲劳的后果至关重要。这些信息将涉及与日常活动、技术发展和安全工作场所实践相关的机械性理解。我们将采用一项既会导致精神疲劳又对其进行持续客观评估的既定任务。我们将把这项任务与神经肌肉特性评估(问题1)、动态运动表现(问题2)和基于磁共振的大脑神经化学图谱评估配对。这些互补的贡献将大大增强我们对认知和运动功能之间的相互作用、精神疲劳在调节这些关系中的作用以及缓解精神疲劳的途径的理解。这项提案中概述的短期目标将有助于我的研究计划的更广泛目标，了解人类神经肌肉功能，以及环境因素对该功能的影响。与我之前的工作一致，拟议的计划将为HQP提供特殊的培训机会，为他们在STEM的神经生理学和相关领域的行业和学术界的竞争地位做好准备。

While it has been suggested for more than a century that cognitive demands induce mental fatigue, with negative consequences on motor performance, there is surprisingly little scientific data to support this idea. Research in this area is largely restricted to subjective reports or behavioral outcomes, with few objective assessments of mental fatigue and limited insight into associated mechanisms. This proposal outlines a systematic approach with objective, functional and mechanistic outcomes, crucial to understanding the influence and underlying mechanisms of mental fatigue on motor performance. It is well-established that concurrent performance of a cognitive and motor task results in a decrement in performance on one or both tasks. However, these studies involve acutely performed tasks, specifically designed to avoid fatigue development. Whether similar impaired motor function occurs under conditions of mental fatigue, remains unexplored. The proposed research will employ objective measures to address three primary questions: (1) how does mental fatigue impact neuromuscular function? (2) How does mental fatigue impact motor control? (3) How does mental fatigue impact excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in task-specific brain regions? Fully uncovering the consequences of mental fatigue is of paramount importance with the rising incidence of accidents related to the sustained cognitive demands of our technology-driven daily environments. Such information will address a mechanistic understanding, relevant to everyday activities, technology development, and safe workplace practices. We will employ an established task that both induces mental fatigue and provides a continuous objective assessment of it. We will pair this task with assessments of neuromuscular properties (question 1), dynamic motor performance (question 2) and magnetic resonance based assessments of the neurochemical profile of the brain. These complementary contributions will substantially enhance our understanding of the interplay between cognition and motor function, the role of mental fatigue in modulating these relationships, and avenues for mitigating mental fatigue. The short-term goals outlined in this proposal will contribute to the broader aim of my research program, understanding human neuromuscular function, and the influence of environmental factors on that function. Consistent with my previous work, the proposed program will offer exceptional opportunities for training HQP, preparing them for competitive positions in industry and academia in neurophysiology and related fields in STEM.