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THE EFFECTS OF FLUID RESTRICTION ON REACTION TIME IN HEALTHY FEMALES AND MALES

Abstract

Halee E. Morris, Karson E. Fallin, Rebecca R. Rogers, Tyler D. Williams, Mallory R. Marshall, FACSM, Chris G. Ballmann, FACSM, Courteney L. Benjamin. Samford University, Birmingham, AL.

Hydration impacts all aspects of life including exercise performance, short term memory, psychomotor skills, perceptual discrimination, and even visuomotor tracking. Studies deploying cognitive-motor tasks to measure perceptual discrimination target accuracy, visual tracking, choice reaction time, attentional focus, concentration, and fatigue perception concur that the effects of mild hypohydration result in cognitive-motor dysfunction. The mechanisms for these outcomes are not fully understood and few studies have examined females while controlling for the phase of the menstrual cycle. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact fluid restriction on various components of reaction time in females in the mid-follicular phase of the menstrual cycle and males. Healthy females (n = 9; age = 21 ± 1 y) and males (n = 9; age = 21 ± 2 y) participated in this randomized, counter-balanced, cross-over study. Participants completed two trials. One trial took place following 12-hours of fluid restriction (FR) and the other took place following a prescribed fluid (PF) intake protocol in which participants consumed 500 mL of water the night before the trial and 500 mL of water the morning of the trial. Females completed both trials in the mid-follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Peripheral and central reaction times were assessed using the DynaVision. Central A reaction time was significantly slower following FR compared to PF (p = 0.003), in both males and females. Central B reaction time was significantly slower following FR compared to PF (p = 0.04). Results from this study demonstrate the impact fluid intake has on various components of reaction time. When females are in the mid-follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, the reaction time of males and females are not different, even in a FR state.

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