Response inhibition impairs subsequent self-paced endurance performance

Pageaux, Benjamin and Lepers, Romuald and Dietz, Kristina Charlotte and Marcora, Samuele Maria (2014) Response inhibition impairs subsequent self-paced endurance performance. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 114 (5). pp. 1095-1105. ISSN 1439-6319. E-ISSN 1439-6327. (doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2838-5) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided)

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this study was to test the effects of mental exertion involving response inhibition on pacing and endurance performance during a subsequent 5-km running time trial. Methods After familiarization, 12 physically active subjects performed the time trial on a treadmill after two different cognitive tasks: (i) an incongruent Stroop task involving response inhibition (inhibition task) and (ii) a congruent Stroop task not involving response inhibition (control task). Both cognitive tasks were performed for 30 min. Results Neither the inhibition nor the control task induced subjective feelings of mental fatigue. Nevertheless, time trial performance was impaired following the inhibition task (24.4 ± 4.9 min) compared to the control task (23.1 ± 3.8 min) because of a significant reduction in average running speed chosen by the subject. The response inhibition task did not affect pacing strategy, which was negative in both conditions. Heart rate and blood lactate responses to the time trial were not affected by the inhibition task, but subjects rated perceived exertion higher compared to the control condition (13.5 ± 1.3 vs 12.4 ± 1.3). Conclusion These findings show for the first time that 30 min of mental exertion involving response inhibition reduces subsequent self-paced endurance performance despite no overt mental fatigue. The impairment in endurance performance observed after the incongruent Stroop task seems to be mediated by the higher perception of effort as predicted by the psychobiological model of endurance performance.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	Faculties > Sciences > School of Sport and Exercise Sciences
Depositing User:	Samuele Marcora
Date Deposited:	20 Jan 2017 14:06 UTC
Last Modified:	04 Apr 2017 13:46 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/59962 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)