The Effect of Brain Endurance Training on Motor Skill Learning in Adolescents With Mild Mental Fatigue

August 3, 2026 updated by: Yunliang Zhang
Objective: To investigate the effects of brain endurance training on improving motor skill learning in adolescents with mild mental fatigue. Methods: Fifty-eight adolescents experiencing mild mental fatigue were recruited. A 6-week training program was conducted using a 2 (BET group, control group) × 2 (pre- and post-Stroop task) × 3 (0, 3, 6 weeks) mixed-design experimental design. Assessments included basketball free throws, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS-MF), the 3-minute Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT-B), the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) to assess performance before and after a 30-minute Stroop task.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

58

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Participants assessed as having mild mental fatigue using the Mental Fatigue VAS scale
  • No prior experience in learning specific motor skills
  • In good physical health, with no history of central nervous system disorders, musculoskeletal injuries, or mental health conditions

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals with moderate to severe mental fatigue or no mental fatigue
  • Individuals with moderate to severe mental fatigue or no mental fatigue
  • Individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, chronic headaches, ADHD, anxiety, or depression - Individuals who have sustained a musculoskeletal injury within the past month and are unable to complete standardized exercise routines
  • Individuals taking medications that affect central nervous system function on a long-term basis, or who have consumed caffeine, energy drinks, or alcohol within 24 hours prior to the experiment - Individuals with persistent sleep disorders
  • Individuals unable to cooperate in completing cognitive endurance training and motor skill tests.Individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, chronic headaches, ADHD, anxiety, or depression
  • Individuals who have sustained a musculoskeletal injury within the past month and are unable to complete standardized exercise routines
  • Individuals taking medications that affect central nervous system function on a long-term basis, or who have consumed caffeine, energy drinks, or alcohol within 24 hours prior to the experiment
  • Individuals with persistent sleep disorders - Individuals unable to cooperate in completing cognitive endurance training and motor skill tests.

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

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: BET
During training, the BET group completed a 20-minute 2-back task [28]; after a 5-minute break, they performed free-throw-related physical and technical training. The training content, intensity, and workload were identical for both groups, and the presentation timing and intervals of the 2-back task stimuli were adjusted every two weeks [18]. During testing, both the BET group and the control group completed 20 free-throw attempts and a 1-minute free-throw test [29] before and after the 30-minute Stroop task, and underwent PVT-B, VAS-MF, and RPE assessments.
Behavioral: Motor Skill Learning
During training, the BET group completed a 20-minute 2-back task [28], followed by a 5-minute break, after which they performed free-throw-related physical and technical training. The presentation timing and intervals of the 2-back task stimuli were adjusted every two weeks [18]. During testing, the BET group completed 20 free-throw trials and a 1-minute free-throw test [29] before and after the 30-minute Stroop task, and underwent PVT-B, VAS-MF, and RPE assessments.
Behavioral: Motor Skill Learning
The BET group and the control group underwent physical and technical training related to free throws; the training content, intensity, and workload were identical for both groups. While the BET group performed cognitive tasks, the control group rested in place. During testing, the control group completed a 20-free-throw test and a 1-minute free-throw test [29] before and after the 30-minute Stroop task, and underwent PVT-B, VAS-MF, and RPE assessments.
Experimental: Control
The BET group and the control group underwent the same physical and technical training related to free throws; the training content, intensity, and workload were identical for both groups. While the BET group performed cognitive tasks, the control group rested in place. The presentation timing and intervals of the 2-back task stimuli were adjusted every two weeks [18]. During testing, both the BET group and the control group completed 20 free-throw trials and a 1-minute free-throw test [29] before and after the 30-minute Stroop task, and underwent PVT-B, VAS-MF, and RPE assessments.
Behavioral: Motor Skill Learning
During training, the BET group completed a 20-minute 2-back task [28], followed by a 5-minute break, after which they performed free-throw-related physical and technical training. The presentation timing and intervals of the 2-back task stimuli were adjusted every two weeks [18]. During testing, the BET group completed 20 free-throw trials and a 1-minute free-throw test [29] before and after the 30-minute Stroop task, and underwent PVT-B, VAS-MF, and RPE assessments.
Behavioral: Motor Skill Learning
The BET group and the control group underwent physical and technical training related to free throws; the training content, intensity, and workload were identical for both groups. While the BET group performed cognitive tasks, the control group rested in place. During testing, the control group completed a 20-free-throw test and a 1-minute free-throw test [29] before and after the 30-minute Stroop task, and underwent PVT-B, VAS-MF, and RPE assessments.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Number of Free Throws Made in Basketball
Time Frame: From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6
From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6
Number of Free Throws in 1 Minute
Time Frame: From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6
From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6
Free throws made in 1 minute
Time Frame: From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6
From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
VAS-MF
Time Frame: From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6
The 10cm VAS-MF was used to assess the degree of mental fatigue. The scale consists of an unmarked horizontal line, with the left end (0 = not at all fatigued) and the right end (10 = completely fatigued) representing the lowest and highest states of this dimension, respectively. Participants are instructed by the examiner to draw a vertical line on the scale that reflects their immediate feelings. A quantitative score is derived by measuring the physical distance (0-10 cm) from the left end of the scale to the marked point.
From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6
RPE
Time Frame: From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6
The Borg Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale assesses perceived exertion (0-10); participants indicate their perceived exertion level using their fingers.
From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6
At the time of the reaction
Time Frame: From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6
All cognitive tasks were conducted using E-Prime 3.0 software. During the 3-minute PVT-B reaction time test, a visual stimulus lasting 1-8 seconds was first presented in the center of the computer screen; participants were instructed to press the "space" key as quickly as possible to respond, after which the screen went blank for 500 ms before proceeding to the next cycle.
From enrollment through Week 3 and then Week 6

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Yunliang Zhang

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

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 (Estimated)

August 2, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

September 13, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 19, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 25, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 3, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 3, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • TJUS2025-134

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

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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