A prática motora sob fadiga mental evita o efeito deletério da fadiga mental em um desempenho posterior?

Abstract

Introduction: Mental fatigue is a common phenomenon that can arise from various sources, including prolonged periods of cognitive activity, stress, inadequate sleep, and information overload. Understanding its impacts is crucial, as mental fatigue has been linked to a range of cognitive performance impairments, such as decreased concentration, slower reactions, reduced accuracy in decision-making, and compromised visual perception. However, its effect on motor performance has not been fully explored. The primary objective of this study was to investigate how practicing motor skills under conditions of mental fatigue influences subsequent performance in motor tasks. More specifically, we sought to understand whether practicing under mental fatigue can lead to adaptation or resistance to the detrimental effects of mental fatigue on motor performance. Forty healthy participants, aged between 18 and 40, with no history of motor or cognitive injuries that could affect motor performance, were recruited. Participants were allocated to the Mental Fatigue Group (MFG). The study consisted of three days of experimentation. On the first day, participants performed a pre-test on a visuospatial task, followed by the Stroop task, and then the acquisition of the visuospatial task followed by a post-test. On the second day, a retention test was conducted to assess the ability to remember and maintain motor skills over time. On the third day, participants underwent the Stroop Task again, followed by an evaluation of the retention of the visuospatial task under fatigue conditions. Participants subjected to the Stroop Task demonstrated an increase in subjective mental fatigue but showed significant improvement in the eye-hand coordination task. We concluded that although participants experienced fatigue during the Stroop Task and learned the eye-hand task, practicing under mental fatigue did not prevent its detrimental effects, even in subsequent practice.