Motivation and Neurotransmitters in Rowers

November 14, 2025 updated by: Poznan University of Physical Education

Psychobiological Correlates of Achievement Motivation and Neurotransmitter Responses to Exercise in Elite Rowers

The goal of this observational study is to learn how motivation and body chemistry are linked during and after intense exercise in national-level rowers.

The main questions this study aims to answer are:

Do athletes with higher motivation show different changes in brain chemicals after exercise? How do hormone and neurotransmitter levels change during recovery after exercise?

Participants will:

Complete a motivation questionnaire called the Inventory of Achievement Motivation (LMI) before the exercise test.

Perform a 6000-meter rowing test on an indoor rowing machine. Have blood samples taken three times: before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 1 hour after exercise.

Researchers will measure blood levels of testosterone, cortisol, serotonin, dopamine, beta-endorphin, anandamide (AEA), and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG).

This study will help researchers understand how motivation and body chemistry work together to influence performance and recovery in highly trained athletes.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study explores how motivation and body chemistry are connected during and after intense physical exercise in national-level rowers. Researchers want to understand how psychological factors, such as motivation to achieve goals, relate to changes in hormones and brain chemicals that occur with exercise and recovery.

Before the exercise test, participants will complete a motivation questionnaire called the Inventory of Achievement Motivation (LMI). This questionnaire helps identify how strongly a person is driven to perform, overcome challenges, and reach success.

After the questionnaire, each participant will complete a 6000-meter rowing test on an indoor rowing machine. This test is designed to produce a high level of physical effort similar to competition conditions. Blood samples will be taken three times: before the test, immediately after the test, and one hour after recovery.

The blood samples will be used to measure levels of several hormones and neurotransmitters, including testosterone, cortisol, serotonin, dopamine, beta-endorphin, anandamide (AEA), and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). These substances are involved in stress response, motivation, reward, and recovery.

Researchers will compare the results from the motivation questionnaire with changes in hormone and neurotransmitter levels. The goal is to find out whether more motivated athletes show different chemical responses to exercise and recovery.

Findings from this study may improve understanding of how the mind and body interact during intense training. This knowledge could help athletes and coaches develop better ways to support motivation, performance, and recovery in high-level sports.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
24

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Poland
    • Greater Poland Voivodeship
      • Poznan, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, 61-871
        • Poznań University of Physical Education

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

All participants were recruited and tested at the Central Sports Centre - Olympic Preparation Center (COS OPO) in Wałcz, Poland, during a national team training camp under standardized conditions.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

National-level male rowers Age between 18 and 35 years Minimum of 3 years of systematic rowing training Regular training load (at least 10 sessions per week during the competitive season) Good general health and medical clearance for maximal exercise testing

Exclusion Criteria:

Current illness, injury, or infection Use of medications or dietary supplements that could affect hormone or neurotransmitter levels Smoking or use of psychoactive substances Inadequate sleep or food intake before testing Refusal or inability to provide informed consent

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Rowers
The study includes 24 national-level male rowers. All participants are healthy, highly trained athletes with at least 3 years of systematic rowing experience and regular intensive training.
Other: 6000-meter rowing ergometer test
Participants perform a 6000-meter rowing test on an indoor ergometer at maximal effort to simulate race conditions and induce physiological fatigue.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in serum Cortisol levels
Time Frame: Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Measurement of Cortisol serum concentrations (ng/mL).
Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Changes in serum Testosterone levels
Time Frame: Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Measurement of Testosterone serum concentrations (ng/mL).
Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Changes in serum Dopamin levels
Time Frame: Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Measurement of Dopamin serum concentrations (ng/mL).
Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Changes in serum Serotonin levels
Time Frame: Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Measurement of Serotonin serum concentrations (ng/mL).
Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Changes in serum Beta-endorphin levels
Time Frame: Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Measurement of Beta-endorphin serum concentrations (ng/mL).
Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Changes in serum anandamide (AEA) levels
Time Frame: Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Measurement of anandamide (AEA) serum concentrations (ng/mL).
Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Changes in serum 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG)) levels
Time Frame: Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Measurement of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) serum concentrations (ng/mL).
Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in Testosterone-to-cortisol ratio (T:C)
Time Frame: Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Ratio calculated from serum testosterone and cortisol concentrations (ng/mL), used as an indicator of anabolic-catabolic balance.
Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Changes in TSerotonin-to-dopamine ratio (S:D)
Time Frame: Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Ratio of serum serotonin to dopamine concentrations (ng/mL), reflecting neurochemical balance related to motivation and fatigue.
Before exercise, immediately after, and 1 hour after recovery
Achievement Motivation (LMI score)
Time Frame: Before exercise (baseline)
Assessment of achievement motivation using the Inventory of Achievement Motivation (LMI). The questionnaire evaluates multiple dimensions of motivation, such as persistence, confidence in success, goal setting, and compensatory effort. Total and subscale scores are analyzed to identify individual motivational profiles.
Before exercise (baseline)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Poznan University of Physical Education

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 28, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 2, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 14, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 14, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 19, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 19, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 14, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • LMI60002023

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data (IPD) will not be shared. Data will be used only for internal analysis and dissemination in scientific publications in aggregate form, in accordance with ethical approval.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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