TY - JOUR
T1 - Change in heart rate variability with increasing time-on-task as a marker for mental fatigue
T2 - A systematic review
AU - Csathó, Árpád
AU - Van der Linden, Dimitri
AU - Matuz, András
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors
PY - 2024/1
Y1 - 2024/1
N2 - Fatigue-specific changes in the autonomic nervous system are often assumed to underlie the development of mental fatigue caused by prolonged cognitive tasks (i.e. Time-on-Task). Therefore, several previous studies have chosen to investigate the Time-on-Task related changes in heart rate variability (HRV). However, previous studies have used many different HRV indices, and their results often show inconsistencies. The present study, therefore, systematically reviewed previous empirical HRV studies with healthy individuals and in which mental fatigue is induced by prolonged cognitive tasks. Articles relevant to the objectives were systematically searched and selected by applying the PRISMA guidelines. We screened 360 records found on 4 databases and found that 19 studies were eligible for full review in accordance with the inclusion criteria. In general, all studies reviewed (with the exception of two studies) found significant changes in HRV with increasing Time-on-Task, suggesting that HRV is a reliable autonomic marker for Time-on-Task induced fatigue. The most conclusive HRV indices that showed a consistent Time-on-Task effect were the low frequency component of HRV and the time domain indices, particularly the root mean square of successive differences. Time-on-Task typically induced an increasing trend in both type of measures.
AB - Fatigue-specific changes in the autonomic nervous system are often assumed to underlie the development of mental fatigue caused by prolonged cognitive tasks (i.e. Time-on-Task). Therefore, several previous studies have chosen to investigate the Time-on-Task related changes in heart rate variability (HRV). However, previous studies have used many different HRV indices, and their results often show inconsistencies. The present study, therefore, systematically reviewed previous empirical HRV studies with healthy individuals and in which mental fatigue is induced by prolonged cognitive tasks. Articles relevant to the objectives were systematically searched and selected by applying the PRISMA guidelines. We screened 360 records found on 4 databases and found that 19 studies were eligible for full review in accordance with the inclusion criteria. In general, all studies reviewed (with the exception of two studies) found significant changes in HRV with increasing Time-on-Task, suggesting that HRV is a reliable autonomic marker for Time-on-Task induced fatigue. The most conclusive HRV indices that showed a consistent Time-on-Task effect were the low frequency component of HRV and the time domain indices, particularly the root mean square of successive differences. Time-on-Task typically induced an increasing trend in both type of measures.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85179490102&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108727
DO - 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108727
M3 - Review article
C2 - 38056707
AN - SCOPUS:85179490102
SN - 0301-0511
VL - 185
JO - Biological Psychology
JF - Biological Psychology
M1 - 108727
ER -