Influence of Acute Mental Fatigue on Muscle Strength and Limb Symmetry in Healthy Adults

This study will investigate the acute effects of mental fatigue on lower-extremity muscle strength, interlimb symmetry, and neuromuscular performance in healthy young adults. The study will use a within-subject, repeated-measures design in which participants complete lower-extremity strength testing immediately before and after a standardized computer-based mental fatigue protocol. Each participant's pre-fatigue measurements will serve as the baseline comparison for their post-fatigue measurements.

Participants will complete one experimental session lasting up to approximately two hours at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) Healthspan, Resilience, and Performance Research Complex. Before testing, participants will undergo eligibility screening, provide written informed consent, and complete familiarization with the strength-testing procedures and computer-based cognitive tasks. Following familiarization, participants will complete a standardized rest period of at least five minutes before baseline measurements are collected.

Lower-extremity muscle strength will be assessed using a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer. Participants will perform knee extension and flexion with both lower extremities at three different movement speeds to assess strength across multiple testing conditions. Peak torque will be used as a primary measure of muscle strength. Testing of both limbs will also allow calculation of a Limb Symmetry Index (LSI) to quantify differences in strength between the lower extremities. Participants will rate their perceived physical exertion following each strength assessment.

Surface electromyography (EMG) will be used to record muscle activity from selected muscles of both thighs during strength testing. Participants may also perform maximal voluntary isometric contractions before the primary strength assessment to assist with normalization and interpretation of EMG signals. EMG measurements will be used to examine whether changes in strength following the mental fatigue protocol are accompanied by changes in muscle activity.

Following the baseline strength assessment, participants will complete approximately 30 minutes of standardized computer-based cognitive tasks designed to require sustained attention, concentration, reaction time, working memory, and mental effort and thereby induce acute mental fatigue. Tasks may include a psychomotor vigilance task, an incongruent Stroop task, and an n-back working-memory task. Reaction time and response accuracy may be recorded during the cognitive tasks.