The Role of Brain Activation and Cerebral Blood Flow in Mental Fatigue.

NCT03366233 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: MF-MRI
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

To assess the changes in brain activation and cerebral blood flow due to mental fatigue in a placebo-controlled study. More specifically we want to assess whether brain activation \[measured with Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) functional resonance imaging (fMRI)\] is decreased during a Flanker task in a mentally fatigued state and whether this coincides with a decline in cognitive performance. In addition we also want to evaluate whether cerebral blood flow \[measured with arterial spin labeled (ASL) fMRI\] in a resting state is reduced when mentally fatigued.

Conditions

Mental Fatigue; Healthy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Blood Oxygen Level Dependent - Signal during a 10-min cognitive task (i.e. Flanker task)

  Blood Oxygen Level Dependent - Signal will be measured during a 10-min Flanker task that will be completed immediately before and after the 90-min task (i.e. documentary in control trial; stroop task in intervention trial)

  Blood Oxygen Level Dependent - Signal will be measured during a 10-min Flanker task that will be completed immediately prior and after the 90-min task that is completed in both trials.

Study Arms (2)

Mentally fatiguing task

EXPERIMENTAL

A modified Stroop task of 90 min, partitioned in 8 blocks of 252 stimuli, will be used as mentally fatiguing task.

Other: Mental fatigue

Control task

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

In the control task subjects will have to watch a documentary on the same computer screen as that used for the experimental trial for 90 min.

Other: Control

Interventions

Mental fatigue OTHER

A modified Stroop task of 90 min, partitioned in 8 blocks of 252 stimuli, will be used as mentally fatiguing task. The Stroop task requires inhibition and sustained attention on controlled processes.

Mentally fatiguing task

Control OTHER

In the control task subjects will have to watch a documentary on the same computer screen as that used for the experimental trial. These documentaries are chosen based on their emotionally neutral, yet engaging content.

Control task

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy (No neurological/cardiorespiratory/psychological disorders)
• No medication
• Non-smoker
• Between 18 and 35 years old

You may not qualify if:

• Injuries
• Illness
• Pacemaker, neurostimulator, medication pump or metal implants
• Use of medication or any kind of drugs
• Use of alcohol, caffeine and heavy efforts 24 hours before each trial
• Not eating the same meal the night before and the morning of each trial

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Vrije Universiteit Brussel: lead

Study Sites (1)

Human Physiology and Sports Physiotherapy Research Group

Brussels, (non-US), 1050, Belgium

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Van Cutsem J, Van Schuerbeek P, Pattyn N, Raeymaekers H, De Mey J, Meeusen R, Roelands B. A drop in cognitive performance, whodunit? Subjective mental fatigue, brain deactivation or increased parasympathetic activity? It's complicated! Cortex. 2022 Oct;155:30-45. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2022.06.006. Epub 2022 Jun 30.

  PMID: 35964356 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Mental Fatigue

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Fatigue; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 1, 2017
• First Posted: December 8, 2017
• Study Start: February 1, 2018
• Primary Completion: November 9, 2018
• Study Completion: November 9, 2018
• Last Updated: October 8, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

BE (1)