Cognitive Fatigue Effects on Physical Performance: The Role of Interoception

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Neuroscience
• Psychology

Background:

• Cognitive fatigue is generally believed to negatively impact physical performance.
• Existing research lacks consensus on the precise mechanisms driving this effect.
• Energy depletion and neurotransmitter changes are unlikely causes in normal glucose conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the mechanisms linking cognitive fatigue to reduced physical performance.
• To investigate the role of altered effort perception and interoceptive pathways.
• To examine the potential influence of motivation on this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on cognitive fatigue, physical performance, and neurobiological pathways.
• Analysis of subjective participant feedback regarding perceived effort.
• Consideration of interoceptive theories and neural pathways involved in fatigue.

Main Results:

• Cognitive fatigue appears to alter predictions of sensory consequences during exercise.
• Changes in perceived effort, influenced by interoceptive mechanisms, are the most probable cause.
• Motivation may play a role in mitigating the negative effects of cognitive fatigue.

Conclusions:

• Altered effort perception, driven by interoceptive processes involving the prefrontal cortex and other brain regions, is a likely mechanism.
• The adenosine hypothesis is less supported due to the transient nature of cognitive adenosine release.
• Further research manipulating motivation is needed to clarify the small effects of cognitive fatigue on physical performance.