Investigating cognitive-physical task interaction during self-paced cycling: A Granger causality study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Self-pacing physical exercise is thought to rely on high-order cognitive processing (e.g., attentional control to monitor afferent cardiovascular feedback for exercise goals). Therefore, performing a cognitive task during a self-paced exercise could lead to cognitive-physical interactions. We explored cognitive-physical interactions by applying time-domain Granger Causality (a correlation analysis that uses a temporal series of one variable to improve the prediction of values in a temporal series of another variable given its past values) to data that combined 20 min of indoor self-paced high-intensity cycling and a Sustained Attention to Response cognitive task, and to data that combined 30 min of indoor self-paced high-intensity cycling and a stimulus-response conflict task. Moreover, we explored whether greater experience in cycling would reduce the need for exerting cognitive attentional control and therefore dual-task effects. The results showed that the experienced cycling group (i.e., at least 4 days of weekly cycling training in the last 3 years) demonstrated better overall physical performance than the non-experienced cycling group (i.e., at least 4 days of weekly training in another endurance sport different to cycling in the last 3 years), while no evidence of differences in cognitive performance was obtained. The results also showed that reaction times and power output interacted bidirectionally in a reduced sample of experienced cyclists and non-experienced cyclists. Hence, cognitive-physical interactions may not be excluded for every single high-fit athlete, irrespective of their particular exercise experience. Our study highlights the value of GC to investigate cognitive-physical interactions during self-paced exercise at the individual level. • Self-pacing is thought to rely on top-down cognitive processing, making it more prone to cognitive-physical interactions. • We investigate cognitive-physical interactions during self-paced cycling considering prior experience in this sport discipline. Applying Granger Causality we exploit the fine-grained information contained in the temporal fluctuations of reaction time in the cognitive task and power output in the physical task to quantify their interdependencies. • Results showed better overall physical performance in an experienced cycling group than in a non-experienced cycling group, while no reliable differences were reported in overall cognitive performance. • Granger causality analyses showed cognitive and physical performance interactions in a reduced sample of experienced and non-experienced cyclists. • During self-paced high-intensity cycling, cognitive-physical interactions cannot be excluded for every single high-fit athlete, irrespective of their particular level of experience in the physical task domain.
Source: Psychology of sport and exercise
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,570
OpenAlex ID: W4406814660