ArticlePloS one2019
Mental fatigue impairs time trial performance in sub-elite under 23 cyclists.
Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of mental fatigue on lower-limb explosive power and anaerobic capacity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Pooled it
- Assessing the Evidential Value of Mental Fatigue and Exercise Research.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2023Pooled it
- Interindividual Variability in Mental Fatigue-Related Impairments in Endurance Performance: A Systematic Review and Multiple Meta-regression.Sports medicine - open · 2023Pooled it
- Effects of Nutritional Interventions on Accuracy and Reaction Time with Relevance to Mental Fatigue in Sporting, Military, and Aerospace Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Pooled it
- Mental Fatigue and Basketball Performance: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in psychology · 2021Pooled it
- Partial-body cryostimulation procured performance and perceptual improvements in amateur middle-distance runners.PloS one · 2023Trial
- The Impact of Mental Fatigue on Decision-Making Abilities, Visual Search Strategies, and Simple Reaction Time in Handball Players: A Randomized Crossover Study.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- The impact of mental fatigue on repeated sprint and change-of-direction performance in soccer.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Current Practices for Mental Fatigue Quantification and Induction in Movement Science: Introducing the SPeCIFY Guidelines.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2025Review
- From Amateur to Professional Cycling: A Case Study on the Training Characteristics of a Zwift Academy Winner.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Effects of mental fatigue on biomechanical characteristics and risk associated with non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injuries during landing.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2025Article
- Mental Fatigue and Sports Performance of Athletes: Theoretical Explanation, Influencing Factors, and Intervention Methods.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Opposite effects of a time-trial and endurance cycling exercise on the neural efficiency of competitive cyclists.European journal of applied physiology · 2023Article
- A plausible link between the time-on-task effect and the sequential task effect.Frontiers in psychology · 2022Article
- Impact of a Carbohydrate Mouth Rinse on Corticomotor Excitability after Mental Fatigue in Healthy College-Aged Subjects.Brain sciences · 2021Article
- The Impact of Fluid Loss and Carbohydrate Consumption during Exercise, on Young Cyclists' Fatigue Perception in Relation to Training Load Level.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Dissociable Effects of Executive Load on Perceived Exertion and Emotional Valence during Submaximal Cycling.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThis study investigates the effect of a mentally demanding response inhibitory task on time trial performance in sub-elite under 23 cyclists.
methodsTen under 23 road cyclists completed two separate testing sessions during which they performed two different cognitive tasks before completing a 30-min time trial on the cycle ergometer. In the experimental condition, 30 min of a standard cognitive task (Stroop task) was used to elicit mental fatigue; in the control condition, a non-demanding activity was carried out. Subjective workload and mood were measured before and after the treatments, and motivation was recorded before the time-trial. During the time trial, power, cadence, heart rate, and rate of perceived exertion were assessed. Blood lactate concentrations and heart rate variability (using the root mean square of the successive differences) were measured before and after the time trial.
resultsThe Stroop task was rated more mentally (P < 0.001) and temporally (P < 0.001) demanding, effortful (P < 0.001), and frustrating (P = 0.001) than the control task; fatigue (P = 0.002) and vigor (P = 0.018) after the cognitive tasks were respectively higher and lower than in the control task. Mean power output (P = 0.007) and cadence (P = 0.043) were negatively affected by the Stroop task, while heart rate (P = 0.349), rating of perceived exertion (P = 0.710), blood lactate concentration (P = 0.850), and root mean square of the successive differences (P = 0.355) did not differ between the two conditions.
conclusionA mentally demanding activity reduced the subsequent physical performance in sub-elite under 23 cyclists. Thus, avoiding cognitive efforts before training and races could improve performance of high-level athletes.
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