The regulation of human performance: the effects of deception, dehydration and inflammation on pacing strategies, perceptual responses and neural activity

Literature suggests that the regulation of exercise intensity and perceived exertion during self-paced exercise is a continuous process mediated by the central nervous system (CNS) involving the interpretation of afferent feedback and distributing efferent drive accordingly. While this concept is being examined, research is yet to explore if changes in self-paced exercise are preceded by changes within the CNS by exploring electroencephalography (EEG) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) simultaneously. Therefore, the aims of the current thesis are to i) examine the manipulation of exercise expectations and distance perception and ii) examine the manipulation of physiology, on neurophysiological and electromyography activity, perceived exertion and pacing strategies during self-paced endurance exercise.