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A Rat Model of Central Fatigue Using a Modified Multiple Platform Method
Published on: August 14, 2018
Does central fatigue explain reduced cycling after complete sleep deprivation?
John Temesi1, Pierrick J Arnal, Karen Davranche
11Exercise Physiology Laboratory, University of Lyon, Saint-Etienne, FRANCE; 2Cognitive Psychology Laboratory and 3C Research Federation, Aix-Marseille University and CNRS, Marseille, FRANCE; 3HP2 Laboratory, Joseph Fourier University, Grenoble, FRANCE; and 4U1042, INSERM, Grenoble, FRANCE.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|June 14, 2013
Summary
One night of sleep deprivation reduces endurance exercise performance and cognitive function. However, this decline is not due to increased central or muscular fatigue.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sleep Science
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Sleep deprivation (SD) impairs cognitive abilities and exercise performance, increasing perceived exertion (RPE).
- The combined impact of SD and exercise on neuromuscular function and cognition remains unclear.
- Investigating central fatigue is crucial to understanding performance decrements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if sleep deprivation exacerbates central fatigue.
- To assess if central fatigue correlates with diminished cognitive and physical responses after sleep deprivation.
- To evaluate the effects of one night of sleep deprivation on exercise performance and cognitive function.
Main Methods:
- Twelve active males participated in two conditions: sleep deprivation (SD) and control (CO).
- Cognitive and neuromuscular function were assessed at baseline, after sleep manipulation, and during and after a cycling exercise protocol to task failure.
- Exercise performance was measured by time to task failure and RPE during submaximal cycling.
Main Results:
- Sleep deprivation significantly reduced exercise time to task failure and increased RPE during submaximal cycling.
- Cognitive performance showed deficits after SD, with longer reaction times and higher omission rates before cycling.
- No significant differences in central or peripheral neuromuscular function were observed between SD and CO conditions, suggesting fatigue was not the primary cause of performance decline.
Conclusions:
- One night of complete sleep deprivation decreases exercise performance and cognitive function while increasing perceived exertion.
- The lack of difference in neuromuscular function suggests that neither muscular nor central fatigue significantly contributes to the reduced exercise performance following sleep deprivation.
- Acute submaximal exercise may counteract some cognitive impairments induced by sleep deprivation.
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