Sensor-Based Assessment of Mental Fatigue Effects on Postural Stability and Multi-Sensory Integration
Objective: Mental fatigue (MF) induced by prolonged cognitive tasks poses significant risks to postural stability, yet its effects on multi-sensory integration remain poorly understood. Method: This study investigated how MF alters sensory reweighting and postural control in 27 healthy young males....
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| author | Yao Sun Yingjie Sun Jia Zhang Feng Ran |
| author_facet | Yao Sun Yingjie Sun Jia Zhang Feng Ran |
| author_sort | Yao Sun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: Mental fatigue (MF) induced by prolonged cognitive tasks poses significant risks to postural stability, yet its effects on multi-sensory integration remain poorly understood. Method: This study investigated how MF alters sensory reweighting and postural control in 27 healthy young males. A 45 min incongruent Stroop task was employed to induce MF, validated via subjective Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores and psychomotor vigilance tests. Postural stability was assessed under four sensory perturbation conditions (O-H: no interference; C-H: visual occlusion; O-S: proprioceptive perturbation; C-S: combined perturbations) using a Kistler force platform. Center of pressure (COP) signals were analyzed through time-domain metrics, sample entropy (SampEn), and Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) to quantify energy distributions across sensory-related frequency bands (visual: 0–0.1 Hz; vestibular: 0.1–0.39 Hz; cerebellar: 0.39–1.56 Hz; proprioceptive: 1.56–6.25 Hz). Results: MF significantly reduced proprioceptive energy contributions (<i>p</i> < 0.05) while increasing vestibular reliance under O-S conditions (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Time-domain metrics showed no significant changes in COP velocity or displacement, but SampEn decreased under closed-eye conditions (<i>p</i> < 0.001), indicating reduced postural adaptability. DWT analysis highlighted MF’s interaction with visual occlusion, altering cerebellar and proprioceptive energy dynamics (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that MF disrupts proprioceptive integration, prompting compensatory shifts toward vestibular and cerebellar inputs. The integration of nonlinear entropy and frequency-domain analyses advances methodological frameworks for fatigue research, offering insights into real-time sensor-based fatigue monitoring and balance rehabilitation strategies. This study underscores the hierarchical interplay of sensory systems under cognitive load and provides empirical evidence for optimizing interventions in high-risk occupational and clinical settings. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bad27d9eca414f2cb08c298d4db9c5c2 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj-art-bad27d9eca414f2cb08c298d4db9c5c22025-08-20T02:59:12ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-02-01255147010.3390/s25051470Sensor-Based Assessment of Mental Fatigue Effects on Postural Stability and Multi-Sensory IntegrationYao Sun0Yingjie Sun1Jia Zhang2Feng Ran3School of Physical Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, ChinaObjective: Mental fatigue (MF) induced by prolonged cognitive tasks poses significant risks to postural stability, yet its effects on multi-sensory integration remain poorly understood. Method: This study investigated how MF alters sensory reweighting and postural control in 27 healthy young males. A 45 min incongruent Stroop task was employed to induce MF, validated via subjective Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores and psychomotor vigilance tests. Postural stability was assessed under four sensory perturbation conditions (O-H: no interference; C-H: visual occlusion; O-S: proprioceptive perturbation; C-S: combined perturbations) using a Kistler force platform. Center of pressure (COP) signals were analyzed through time-domain metrics, sample entropy (SampEn), and Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) to quantify energy distributions across sensory-related frequency bands (visual: 0–0.1 Hz; vestibular: 0.1–0.39 Hz; cerebellar: 0.39–1.56 Hz; proprioceptive: 1.56–6.25 Hz). Results: MF significantly reduced proprioceptive energy contributions (<i>p</i> < 0.05) while increasing vestibular reliance under O-S conditions (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Time-domain metrics showed no significant changes in COP velocity or displacement, but SampEn decreased under closed-eye conditions (<i>p</i> < 0.001), indicating reduced postural adaptability. DWT analysis highlighted MF’s interaction with visual occlusion, altering cerebellar and proprioceptive energy dynamics (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that MF disrupts proprioceptive integration, prompting compensatory shifts toward vestibular and cerebellar inputs. The integration of nonlinear entropy and frequency-domain analyses advances methodological frameworks for fatigue research, offering insights into real-time sensor-based fatigue monitoring and balance rehabilitation strategies. This study underscores the hierarchical interplay of sensory systems under cognitive load and provides empirical evidence for optimizing interventions in high-risk occupational and clinical settings.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/5/1470mental fatiguepostural controlsensory reweightingcenter of pressurediscrete wavelet transformsample entropy |
| spellingShingle | Yao Sun Yingjie Sun Jia Zhang Feng Ran Sensor-Based Assessment of Mental Fatigue Effects on Postural Stability and Multi-Sensory Integration Sensors mental fatigue postural control sensory reweighting center of pressure discrete wavelet transform sample entropy |
| title | Sensor-Based Assessment of Mental Fatigue Effects on Postural Stability and Multi-Sensory Integration |
| title_full | Sensor-Based Assessment of Mental Fatigue Effects on Postural Stability and Multi-Sensory Integration |
| title_fullStr | Sensor-Based Assessment of Mental Fatigue Effects on Postural Stability and Multi-Sensory Integration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sensor-Based Assessment of Mental Fatigue Effects on Postural Stability and Multi-Sensory Integration |
| title_short | Sensor-Based Assessment of Mental Fatigue Effects on Postural Stability and Multi-Sensory Integration |
| title_sort | sensor based assessment of mental fatigue effects on postural stability and multi sensory integration |
| topic | mental fatigue postural control sensory reweighting center of pressure discrete wavelet transform sample entropy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/5/1470 |
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