Abstract
The quantitative analysis of electroencephalogram (qEEG) is a suitable tool for mental fatigue (MF) assessment. Here, we evaluated the effects of MF on behavioral performance and alpha power spectral density (PSD) and the association between early alpha PSD reactivity and long-term behavioral MF impairments. Nineteen right-handed adults (21.21 ± 1.77 years old) had their EEG measured during five blocks of the visual oddball paradigm (~ 60 min). A paired t-test was used to compare first and last block values of cognitive performance and alpha PSD. The sample was divided into high (HAG) and low alpha group (LAG) by early alpha PSD median values. The behavioral performance of the HAG and LAG was compared across the blocks by a two-way ANOVA with repeated measures (groups and blocks). MF impairs general behavioral performance and increases alpha PSD. The HAG presents more behavioral impairment when compared to LAG across the task. Simple linear regression between early alpha PSD and behavioral performance across the task can predict 19 to 39% of variation in general behavior impairment by MF. In conclusion, MF induction impairs general behavioral and increases alpha PSD. The other finding was that higher alpha PSD reactivity is associated to higher long-term behavioral impairments of MF. This work contributes to existing knowledge of MF by providing evidence that the possibility of investigating early electrophysiological biomarkers to predict long-term MF impairments.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by PRONEX Program (Programa de Núcleos de Excelência—NENASC Project) of FAPESC-CNPq-MS, Santa Catarina Brazil (Process Number 56802/2010). RW is Researcher Fellow from CNPq (Brazilian Council for Scientific and Technologic Development, Brazil), AAH is supported by scholarship from CAPES/PNPD, HMM and LMN are supported by CAPES/DS scholarship.
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Study conception and design: HMM, LMN. Acquisition of data: HMM, LMN, Analysis and interpretation of data: HMM, LMN, AAH, RW, ET. Drafting of manuscript: HMM, LMN, AAH, RW, ET. Critical revision: HMM, LMN, AAH, RW, ET.
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This research was approved by the local ethics committee (Comitê de Ética e Pesquisa com Seres Humanos da UFSC—CEPSH), which can be checked by CAAE: 44053615.4.0000.0121. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Melo, H.M., Nascimento, L.M., Hoeller, A.A. et al. Early Alpha Reactivity is Associated with Long-Term Mental Fatigue Behavioral Impairments. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 46, 103–113 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-020-09475-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-020-09475-y