Mental Fatigue Effects on Posture and Spinal Reflexes
15 de junio de 2026 actualizado por: Gürsu Sayar, Izmir Bakircay University
Effects of Mental Fatigue on Posture and Spinal Reflexes Modulations
This randomized crossover study investigates the effects of mental fatigue on postural control and spinal reflex excitability in healthy physically active adults aged 18-35 years. Participants will complete two experimental conditions: a mentally fatiguing Stroop task and a control condition involving passive documentary watching, separated by at least 48 hours. Postural control will be assessed using force plate measures of center of pressure displacement during bipedal and unipedal stance, with and without concurrent cognitive dual-tasking. In parallel, spinal reflex excitability will be evaluated using H-reflex recordings from the triceps surae muscles across sitting and standing postures.
The primary aim is to determine whether mental fatigue increases postural sway, particularly in more challenging balance conditions such as single-leg stance. The secondary aim is to examine whether mental fatigue alters the normal modulation of spinal reflex excitability across progressively demanding postural tasks. Additional biomechanical and neuromuscular measures, including EMG activity and hip kinematics, will be recorded to provide insight into underlying control mechanisms.
The study will include approximately 26 participants, with each serving as their own control. Data will contribute to understanding how cognitive fatigue influences balance control and spinal-level neuromuscular regulation.
Descripción general del estudio
Estado
Aún no reclutando
Condiciones
Intervención / Tratamiento
Tipo de estudio
Intervencionista
Inscripción (Estimado)
26
Fase
- No aplica
Contactos y Ubicaciones
Esta sección proporciona los datos de contacto de quienes realizan el estudio e información sobre dónde se lleva a cabo este estudio.
Estudio Contacto
- Nombre: Sidney Grosprêtre, PhD
- Número de teléfono: +32 (0)2 629 22 22
- Correo electrónico: sidney.grospretre@univ-fcomte.fr
Ubicaciones de estudio
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Pleinlaan 2
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Brussels, Pleinlaan 2, Bélgica, 1050
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel
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Contacto:
- Sidney Grosprêtre, PhD
- Número de teléfono: +32 (0)2 629 22 22
- Correo electrónico: sidney.grospretre@univ-fcomte.fr
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Criterios de participación
Los investigadores buscan personas que se ajusten a una determinada descripción, denominada criterio de elegibilidad. Algunos ejemplos de estos criterios son el estado de salud general de una persona o tratamientos previos.
Criterio de elegibilidad
Edades elegibles para estudiar
- Adulto
Acepta Voluntarios Saludables
Sí
Descripción
Inclusion Criteria:
- Healthy participants aged between 18 and 35 years
- Recreational active
Exclusion Criteria:
- Previous major lower limb injury (last 6 months)
- Present neurological or musculoskeletal disorders
- Involvement in another concurrent physical or cognitive intervention study
Plan de estudios
Esta sección proporciona detalles del plan de estudio, incluido cómo está diseñado el estudio y qué mide el estudio.
¿Cómo está diseñado el estudio?
Detalles de diseño
- Propósito principal: Ciencia básica
- Asignación: Aleatorizado
- Modelo Intervencionista: Asignación cruzada
- Enmascaramiento: Único
Armas e Intervenciones
Grupo de participantes/brazo |
Intervención / Tratamiento |
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Experimental: Control Condition
Participants watch a 60-minute neutral documentary of their choice.
This condition is designed to control for time, visual input, and arousal without inducing mental fatigue.
Postural control and spinal reflex excitability are assessed immediately before and after the task.
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Participants watch a 60-minute neutral documentary of their choice.
This condition is designed to match the mental fatigue intervention in duration and general sensory engagement without inducing cognitive fatigue.
No cognitive task performance is required.
Subjective mental fatigue is assessed at equivalent time points using a visual analogue scale.
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Experimental: Mental Fatigue Condition
Participants complete a 60-minute computerized Stroop task designed to induce mental fatigue.
The task involves continuous performance of color-word interference trials adjusted to individual capacity.
Postural control and spinal reflex excitability are assessed immediately before and after the task.
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Participants complete a 60-minute computerized Stroop color-word task designed to induce mental fatigue.
The task consists of repeated incongruent stimuli requiring rapid and accurate responses, with difficulty individualized based on a prior maximal Stroop performance test.
Performance (reaction time and accuracy) is continuously recorded.
Subjective mental fatigue is assessed intermittently during the task using a visual analogue scale.
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¿Qué mide el estudio?
Medidas de resultado primarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
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Center of Pressure (CoP) Displacement (Postural Sway)
Periodo de tiempo: Pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention (each experimental session)
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Postural sway will be assessed using center of pressure (CoP) displacement area and oscillation parameters measured during bipedal and unipedal stance on a force plate.
Higher values indicate greater postural instability.
Comparisons will be made between mental fatigue and control conditions, pre- and post-intervention.
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Pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention (each experimental session)
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Subjective Mental Fatigue
Periodo de tiempo: During intervention (every 15 minutes) and immediately post-intervention
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Subjective mental fatigue will be assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from 0 (no fatigue) to 100 (extreme fatigue).
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During intervention (every 15 minutes) and immediately post-intervention
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Medidas de resultado secundarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
|---|---|---|
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Spinal Reflex Excitability (H-reflex Modulation)
Periodo de tiempo: Pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention across sitting, bipedal stance, and unipedal stance conditions
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Spinal reflex excitability will be assessed using H-reflex amplitude (H50 and Hmax), normalized to maximal M-wave (Mmax), recorded from the triceps surae muscles (soleus, medial gastrocnemius, lateral gastrocnemius) during sitting, bipedal stance, and unipedal stance.
Changes will be compared between mental fatigue and control conditions.
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Pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention across sitting, bipedal stance, and unipedal stance conditions
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Surface Electromyography (EMG) Activity of Postural Muscles
Periodo de tiempo: Continuous recording during postural tasks, pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention (each condition)
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Muscle activation will be assessed using root mean square (RMS) electromyography (EMG) activity recorded from the soleus, medial gastrocnemius, lateral gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, vastus medialis, and multifidus muscles, normalized to maximal M-wave (MMAX).
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Continuous recording during postural tasks, pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention (each condition)
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Hip / Leg Movement (IMU Angular Velocity)
Periodo de tiempo: Pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention during bipedal and unipedal stance
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Hip and leg movements will be assessed using inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors placed at the proximal femoral epicondyle.
Outcome is the resultant angular velocity across movement axes during postural tasks.
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Pre-intervention and immediately post-intervention during bipedal and unipedal stance
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Colaboradores e Investigadores
Aquí es donde encontrará personas y organizaciones involucradas en este estudio.
Patrocinador
Investigadores
- Director de estudio: Bart Roelands, Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Fechas de registro del estudio
Estas fechas rastrean el progreso del registro del estudio y los envíos de resultados resumidos a ClinicalTrials.gov. Los registros del estudio y los resultados informados son revisados por la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina (NLM) para asegurarse de que cumplan con los estándares de control de calidad específicos antes de publicarlos en el sitio web público.
Fechas importantes del estudio
Inicio del estudio (Estimado)
1 de julio de 2026
Finalización primaria (Estimado)
1 de septiembre de 2026
Finalización del estudio (Estimado)
1 de diciembre de 2026
Fechas de registro del estudio
Enviado por primera vez
11 de junio de 2026
Primero enviado que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad
15 de junio de 2026
Publicado por primera vez (Actual)
16 de junio de 2026
Actualizaciones de registros de estudio
Última actualización publicada (Actual)
16 de junio de 2026
Última actualización enviada que cumplió con los criterios de control de calidad
15 de junio de 2026
Última verificación
1 de junio de 2026
Más información
Términos relacionados con este estudio
Palabras clave
Términos MeSH relevantes adicionales
Otros números de identificación del estudio
- MFspinal
Plan de datos de participantes individuales (IPD)
¿Planea compartir datos de participantes individuales (IPD)?
NO
Descripción del plan IPD
Individual participant data will not be shared.
Due to the sensitive nature of physiological and health-related data and GDPR restrictions, data access will be limited to the study investigators.
De-identified aggregated results will be reported in publications.
Información sobre medicamentos y dispositivos, documentos del estudio
Estudia un producto farmacéutico regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.
No
Estudia un producto de dispositivo regulado por la FDA de EE. UU.
No
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