A Simple Sensitive Method for Measuring Borderline Mental Fatigue
Leyla Aydin *
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Nimet Unay Gundogan
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Erhan Kiziltan
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Canan Yazici
Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Beste Ozturk
Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Burçak Kara
Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Yağiz Yeşilova
Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Irmak Erdemir
Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Cem Bulbul
Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
Esra Oner
Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Mental fatigue [MF] is a critical condition that can accompany cognitive dysfunction. Various surveys have been used to determine the MF state. However, differences in participants' perception levels' can decrease' survey specificity, which therefore should be supported using objective methods. This study describes a new and simple MF scale based on evaluating results from the Piper Fatigue Scale [PFS], together with the results for reaction times. In the study, 29 healthy, right-handed, male, medical student volunteers were included. Attending a theoretical class for 4 hours was used as the MF model. PFS was applied before and after the MF model to determine their levels of vulnerability to fatigue and perception of fatigue qualitatively. The finger tapping test [FTT] and simple and complex visual reaction time [VRT] tests were used to determine physical fatigue and MF quantitatively. There were no significant differences between pre- and post-fatigue PFS scores or FTT and simple VRT results [p=0.531, p=0.160, p=0.065, respectively]. However, the complex VRT was significantly longer after the MF model [p<0.05]. This study showed that borderline MF, which cannot be determined by the PFS alone, might be accomplished when tested with the complex VRT test that keeps participants in a vigilant state.
Keywords: Mental fatigue, qualitative evaluation, piper fatigue Scale, quantitative evaluation, complex visual reaction time