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01-01-2008 | Original Article

Prefrontal cortex oxygenation and neuromuscular responses to exhaustive exercise

Authors: Rupp Thomas, Perrey Stephane

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 2/2008

Abstract

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) allows non-invasive monitoring of central and peripheral changes in oxygenation during exercise and may provide valuable insight into the factors affecting fatigue. This study aimed to explore the changes in oxygenation of prefrontal cortex and active muscle tissue as limiting factors of incremental exercise performance in trained cyclists. Thirteen trained healthy subjects (mean ± SE: age 24.9 ± 1.5 years, body mass 70.1 ± 1.2 kg, training 6.1 ± 0.9 h week⁻¹) performed a progressive maximal exercise to exhaustion on a cycling ergometer. Prefrontal cortex (Cox) and vastus lateralis muscle (Mox) oxygenation were measured simultaneously by NIRS throughout the exercise. Maximal voluntary isometric knee torques and quadriceps neuromuscular fatigue (M-wave properties and voluntary activation ratio) were evaluated before and after exercise. Maximal power output and oxygen consumption were 380.8 ± 7.9 W and 75.0 ± 2.2 ml min⁻¹ kg⁻¹, respectively. Mox decreased significantly throughout exercise while Cox increased in the first minutes of exercise but decreased markedly from the workload corresponding to the second ventilatory threshold up to exhaustion (P < 0.05). No significant difference was noted 6 min after maximal exercise in either the voluntary activation ratio or the M-wave properties. These findings are compatible with the notion that supraspinal modulation of motor output precedes exhaustion.

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Title: Prefrontal cortex oxygenation and neuromuscular responses to exhaustive exercise
Authors: Rupp Thomas
Perrey Stephane
Publication date: 01-01-2008
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 2/2008
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0568-7

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Prefrontal cortex oxygenation and neuromuscular responses to exhaustive exercise

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