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

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Mental Fatigue; Healthy
• Interventions: Other: Control; Other: Mental fatigue

• Registration Number: NCT03366233
• Lead Sponsor: Vrije Universiteit Brussel

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.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2017-12-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-12-01
• Study First Posted: 2017-12-08
• Study Start: 2018-02-01
• Primary Completion: 2018-11-09
• Study Completion: 2018-11-09
• Status Verified: 2019-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-10-04
• Last Update Posted: 2019-10-08

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 20

Inclusion Criteria

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

Exclusion Criteria

• 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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Control task	Control	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.
Mentally fatiguing task	Mental fatigue	A modified Stroop task of 90 min, partitioned in 8 blocks of 252 stimuli, will be used as mentally fatiguing task.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
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 prior and after the 90-min task that is completed in both trials.	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)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Human Physiology and Sports Physiotherapy Research Group; 🇧🇪 Brussels, (non-US), Belgium