Physiological mechanisms of exercise-induced cognitive fatigue and development of training methods to suppress it

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20036
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59020:Sports sciences-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University of Health and Welfare (2021); University of Tsukuba (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Ochi Genta 新潟医療福祉大学, 健康科学部, 講師 (90833848)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 認知疲労 / 動脈血中酸素飽和度 / 実行機能 / 低酸素順化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Physical activity at high altitudes or exhaustive exercise leads to a decline in executive functions, such as attention and judgment (cognitive fatigue). The principal investigator has shown that exercise in a hypoxic environment causes cognitive fatigue due to reduced activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In this study, we examined the physiological mechanism of this cognitive fatigue and how to cope with it. The results suggest that preventing a decrease in SpO2 during exercise can prevent both decreased activity of the left brain DLPFC and decreased executive function after exercise and that hypoxic acclimation through one week of hypoxic exposure may be useful in preventing cognitive fatigue by preventing hypoxemia during exercise.

Free Research Field

スポーツ科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究から、運動による認知疲労のメカニズムとして、運動中の低酸素血の関与が明らかとなり、運動中の低酸素血防止が認知疲労の予防改善に有効であることが実証された。本研究の成果は、登山やトレイルランといった高地環境での身体活動のみならず、低酸素血を誘発するような激しい運動時の認知疲労対処法開発に寄与され、アスリートのパフォーマンス向上や安全なスポーツ活動のための方略開発につながることが期待される。