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Filipas L, Rossi C, Codella R, Bonato M. Mental Fatigue Impairs Second Serve Accuracy in Tennis Players. RESEARCH QUARTERLY FOR EXERCISE AND SPORT 2024; 95:190-196. [PMID: 37036414 DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2023.2174488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this 2-week randomized, counterbalance and crossover study was to investigate the effect of acute mental fatigue (MF) on tennis serve performance and accuracy in tennis players. Methods: Ten male tennis players (18 ± 4 years, 1.80 ± 0.08 m; 71 ± 13 kg) were randomized to either the MF group (N = 5) that underwent an acute MF protocol or to a control (CON) group (N = 5). The MF condition consisted in a 30-min modified Stroop color word task performed before on-court serve speed test. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess the perceptions of MF and motivation toward the upcoming technical tests. Results: Reduction over baseline score of Stroop test was noted in accuracy (N < .001), but not in reaction time (N = .968) in the MF group. Increments in perceived workload were detected (N < .001) in MF group compared to CON. No differences for first and second serve speed from deuce and advantage side were observed. Increment of percentage of failed second serves from the deuce side (N = .043) in MF were detected. Conclusions: An acute MF protocol reduced tennis serve accuracy from deuce side in male tennis players. Players should avoid cognitive efforts before training sessions and matches to prevent negative effects of their technical performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Filipas
- Università degli Studi di Milano
- IRCCS MultiMedica
| | | | | | - Matteo Bonato
- Università degli Studi di Milano
- IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi
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Sun H, Geok Soh K, Mohammadi A, Toumi Z. The counteractive effects of interventions addressing mental fatigue on sport-specific performance among athletes: A systematic review with a meta-analysis. J Sports Sci 2024:1-13. [PMID: 38368626 DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2024.2317633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The deleterious consequences of mental fatigue (MF) on athletes in diverse sporting domains have been subject to extensive inquiry. However, the efficacy of interventions to counteract the effects of MF remains largely elusive. This review aims to evaluate the effects of counteractive interventions on the sport-specific performance of mentally fatigued athletes. Moreover, synthesizes the current evidence on which sports effectively counter the detrimental effects of MF with interventions, highlighting potential avenues for upcoming research. A systematic search was executed via Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and EBSCOhost, in addition to Google Scholar and references for grey literature. A meta-analysis was executed to compute effect sizes for different interventions with 13 qualified papers. Interventions include transcranial direct current stimulation, person-fit, mindfulness, glucose supplementation, caffeine mouth rinsing, and nature exposure showed potential to mitigate the detrimental effects on sport-specific performance, particularly in shooting accuracy (ES = 0.591; p = 0.001), decision-making accuracy (ES = 0.553; p = 0.006), and reaction time (ES = -0.871; p < 0.001), however, not in completion time (ES = -0.302; p = 0.182). This review underscores the unique roles of self-regulatory resources and directed attention. Nonetheless, a cautious interpretation of the findings is warranted given the paucity of investigations involving potential interventions in numerous other sports, such as volleyball, Australian football, cricket, and boxing.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Sun
- School of Physical Education, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan Province, China
| | - Kim Geok Soh
- Department of Sport Studies, Faculty of Education Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Alireza Mohammadi
- Faculty of Business Management, City University Malaysia, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Zakaria Toumi
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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Sun H, Soh KG, Mohammadi A, Toumi Z, Zhang L, Ding C, Gao X, Tian J. Counteracting mental fatigue for athletes: a systematic review of the interventions. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:67. [PMID: 38336843 PMCID: PMC10854164 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01476-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The deleterious effects of mental fatigue (MF) on athletes have been carefully studied in various sports, such as soccer, badminton, and swimming. Even though many researchers have sought ways to ameliorate the negative impact of MF, there is still a lack of studies that review the interventions used to counteract MF among athletes. This review aims to report the current evidence exploring the effects of interventions on MF and sport-specific performance, including sport-specific motor performance and perceptual-cognitive skills. Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and SPORTDicus (EBSCOhost) were combed through to find relevant publications. Additionally, the references and Google Scholar were searched for any grey literature. For the current review, we included only randomized controlled trials that involved athletes, a primary task to induce MF, interventions to counter MF with comparable protocols, and the outcomes of sport-specific motor performance and perceptual-cognitive skill. The selection criteria resulted in the inclusion of 10 articles. The manipulations of autonomous self-control exertion, person-fit, nature exposure, mindfulness, and transactional direct current stimulation showed that positive interventions counteract MF and improve sport-specific performance in different domains, including strength, speed, skill, stamina, and perceptual-cognitive skills. The selected interventions could significantly counteract MF and improve subsequent sport-specific performance. Moreover, self-regulation and attention resources showed the importance of the potential mechanisms behind the relevant interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Sun
- School of Physical Education, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Kim Geok Soh
- Department of Sport Studies, Faculty of Education Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Alireza Mohammadi
- Faculty of Business Management, City University Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Zakaria Toumi
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Lingling Zhang
- Department of Sport Studies, Faculty of Education Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- The National Football Academy, Shandong Sport University, Jinan, China
| | - Cong Ding
- Department of Sport Studies, Faculty of Education Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Xiaojuan Gao
- School of Physical Education, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Jian Tian
- School of Physical Education, Henan University, Kaifeng, China.
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Yang J, Han Q, Liu Q, Li T, Shao Y, Sui X, Wang Q. Effects of carbohydrate drinks ingestion on executive function in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1183460. [PMID: 37637918 PMCID: PMC10448191 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1183460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Carbohydrates are often used as boosters for endurance and high-intensity exercise. However, it is unclear whether carbohydrate drinks intake before or during exercise can affect specific domains of cognitive function, such as Executive Function (EF). Methods Following the guidance of PRISMA 2020, we searched six major databases including PubMed, WOS, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane, Embase, and Scopus. Outcomes were presented in the form of Reaction Time (RT), Accuracy (ACC), and Scores (Score) for performing EF tests. Effect sizes were calculated from the test results of EF and expressed as standardized mean differences (SMDs). After analyzing the overall results, we performed subgroup analyses based on the athletes' program characteristics. Results After retrieving a total of 5,355 articles, ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified and included in this review. The overall results showed that the intake of carbohydrate drinks before or during exercise did not have a significant effect on the reduction of EF after exercise (ACC (-0.05 [-0.27, 0.18]); RT (-0.18 [-0.45, 0.09]); Score (0.24 [-0.20, 0.68])). The subgroup analyses based on open skill sports and close skill sports also showed invalid results, but the results of RT ended up with different preference (ACC of open skill sports athletes (-0.10 [-0.34, 0.14]); RT of open skill athletes (-0.27 [-0.60, 0.07]); RT of close skill athletes (0.29 [-0.24, 0.82])). Conclusion The intake of 6-12% of single or mixed carbohydrates before or during exercise was not significantly effective in reducing the decline in EF after exercise. Our findings may have been influenced by the type of intervention, dose, mode of administration, or individual variability of the included subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingye Yang
- College of Exercise Science, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
- Sports Nutrition Center, National Institute of Sports Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Lab of Sports Nutrition, State General Administration of Sport of China, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Han
- College of Exercise Science, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
- Sports Nutrition Center, National Institute of Sports Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Lab of Sports Nutrition, State General Administration of Sport of China, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Liu
- College of Exercise Science, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
- Sports Nutrition Center, National Institute of Sports Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Lab of Sports Nutrition, State General Administration of Sport of China, Beijing, China
| | - Tieying Li
- Sports Nutrition Center, National Institute of Sports Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Lab of Sports Nutrition, State General Administration of Sport of China, Beijing, China
| | - Yongcong Shao
- School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China
| | - Xuemei Sui
- Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Qirong Wang
- Sports Nutrition Center, National Institute of Sports Medicine, Beijing, China
- Key Lab of Sports Nutrition, State General Administration of Sport of China, Beijing, China
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Proost M, Habay J, De Wachter J, De Pauw K, Rattray B, Meeusen R, Roelands B, Van Cutsem J. How to Tackle Mental Fatigue: A Systematic Review of Potential Countermeasures and Their Underlying Mechanisms. Sports Med 2022; 52:2129-2158. [PMID: 35543922 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-022-01678-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mental fatigue (MF) is a psychobiological state that impairs cognitive as well as physical performance in different settings. Recently, numerous studies have sought ways to counteract these negative effects of MF. An overview of the explored countermeasures for MF is, however, lacking. OBJECTIVES The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the different MF countermeasures currently explored in literature. Countermeasures were classified by the timing of application (before, during or after the moment of MF) and type of intervention (behavioural, physiological and psychological). METHODS The databases of PubMed (MEDLINE), Web of Science and PsycINFO were searched until March 7, 2022. Studies were eligible when MF was induced using a task with a duration of at least 30 min, when they assessed MF markers in at least two out of the three areas wherein MF markers have been defined (i.e., behavioural, subjective and/or [neuro]physiological) and used a placebo or control group for the countermeasure. RESULTS A total of 33 studies investigated one or more countermeasures against MF. Of these, eight studies assessed a behavioural countermeasure, 22 a physiological one, one a psychological countermeasure and two a combination of a behavioural and psychological countermeasure. The general finding was that a vast majority of the countermeasures induced a positive effect on behavioural (e.g., task or sport performance) and/or subjective MF markers (e.g., visual analogue scale for MF or alertness). No definitive conclusion could be drawn regarding the effect of the employed countermeasures on (neuro)physiological markers of MF as only 19 of the included studies investigated these measures, and within these a large heterogeneity in the evaluated (neuro)physiological markers was present. DISCUSSION Within the physiological countermeasures it seems that the use of odours during a MF task or caffeine before the MF task are the most promising interventions in combating MF. Promising behavioural (e.g., listening to music) and psychological (e.g., extrinsic motivation) countermeasures of MF have also been reported. The most assumed mechanism through which these countermeasures operate is the dopaminergic system. However, this mechanism remains speculative as (neuro)physiological markers of MF have been scarcely evaluated to date. CONCLUSION The present systematic review reveals that a wide range of countermeasures have been found to successfully counteract MF on a subjective, (neuro)physiological and/or behavioural level. Of these, caffeine, odours, music and extrinsic motivation are the most evidenced for countering MF. To provide in-detail practical guidelines for the real-life application of MF countermeasures, more research must be performed into the underlying mechanisms and into the optimal dosage and time of application/intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Proost
- Human Physiology and Sports Physiotherapy Research Group, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jelle Habay
- Human Physiology and Sports Physiotherapy Research Group, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jonas De Wachter
- Human Physiology and Sports Physiotherapy Research Group, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kevin De Pauw
- Human Physiology and Sports Physiotherapy Research Group, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,BruBotics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ben Rattray
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia.,Discipline of Sport and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
| | - Romain Meeusen
- Human Physiology and Sports Physiotherapy Research Group, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,BruBotics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bart Roelands
- Human Physiology and Sports Physiotherapy Research Group, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Van Cutsem
- Human Physiology and Sports Physiotherapy Research Group, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. .,Vital Signs and Performance Monitoring Research Unit, LIFE Department, Royal Military Academy, Brussels, Belgium.
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