A comparison of task-based mental fatigue between healthy males and females

ABSTRACT

Background: The issue of cognitive sex differences has been a topic of interest for researchers for several decades. The present study investigated the relatively new area of sex differences in mental fatigue.

Methods: Mental fatigue was evaluated via a modified visual analogue mood scale (VAMS) and Activation Deactivation Adjective Checklist (AD-ACL) before and after a task designed to induce mental fatigue. The participants performed a reaction time task in three blocks of 17 min, without any rest time between the blocks.

Results: Mental fatigue increased after each 17-min block for both sexes with no significant differences between males and females (P = .54). Females had slower reaction time within the first block but slightly faster reaction time within the second and third blocks (P ≤ .001).

Conclusion: Although no significant differences in mental fatigue between male and female groups were found, the results may suggest that task unfamiliarity had a more negative influence on reaction times in females than males.

KEYWORDS:

• Mental fatigue
• cognition
• time on task
• sex
• reaction time

Acknowledgment

We gratefully thank all the subjects that participated in this study for the generous contribution of their time.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Saeed Jaydari Fard

Mr Saeed Jaydari Fard has graduated with a Master’s degree from Tehran University, Tehran, Iran. He worked on mental fatigue as his thesis. Now, he wants to study PhD in Australia.

Andrew P. Lavender

Dr Andrew P. Lavender works as a professor in Curtin University, Perth, Australia.