Visuomotor processing after progressively increased physical exercise

We assessed the effect of physical effort with increasing intensity on the visuomotor processing in physically active young men (n=22). Subjects performed three 10-minute effort-tests with increasing intensity on a cycloergometer. Each participant was assigned individual workload values below the lactate threshold (40% VO2max), at the lactate threshold (60% VO2max) and above the lactate threshold (80% VO2max). Special Ability Signal Test included in the Vienna Test System (Schuhfried, Austria) was used to examine visuomotor processing. The numbers of correct reactions and the median reaction time as a measure of the speed of the detection process were analyzed. Four Signal test recordings were taken: pre-exercise and immediately after the three subsequent effort tests. The numbers of correct reactions increased after the first effort (40% VO2max) in comparison to the pre-exercise state and then significantly decreased after the third effort test (80% VO2max). In contrast, no significant changes in time of signal detection were observed. Physical effort with high intensity might disturb the visuomotor processing in accordance to the accuracy of the visuospatial differentiation of the relevant signal within irrelevant signals.