SynthesisFrontiers in psychology2026
Research advances in exercise and cognitive fatigue: a bibliometric analysis and thematic strategic evolution analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Cognitive fatigue (CF), characterized by decrements in executive function and heightened subjective exhaustion resulting from prolonged cognitive exertion, has emerged as a critical determinant of athletic performance and psychophysiological wellbeing. Despite the exponential growth in research output, systematic quantitative analyses of the intellectual structure, evolutionary trajectory, and emerging frontiers within this domain remain scarce. Methods: Drawing upon the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases, this study retrieved publications addressing exercise and cognitive fatigue from 1998 to 2025 using the search strategy: TS = ("physical activity" OR exercise OR sport*) AND TS = ("mental fatigue" OR "cognitive fatigue" OR "mental fog" OR "cognitive weariness*" OR "cognitive exhaustion*"). Following systematic screening, 820 articles were included for bibliometric analysis utilizing Bibliometrix and VOSviewer. Results: Publication output rose modestly (1.84% annually), peaking in 2025 ( Conclusion: This study traces an evolution from pathological fatigue measurement to executive function precision assessment. Bibliometric indicators reveal growing emphasis on cognitive effort as a motor modulator, with co-occurrence patterns identifying dual clusters around subjective perception and performance parameters. Whether this bibliographic convergence reflects validated physiological mechanisms or emerging theoretical hypotheses requires further primary experimental investigation. This analysis provides a complementary, field-level perspective that complements, rather than replaces, primary experimental research.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.