TY - JOUR PY - 2018// TI - Tramadol effects on physical performance and sustained attention during a 20-min indoor cycling time-trial: A randomised controlled trial JO - Journal of science and medicine in sport A1 - Holgado, Darías A1 - Zandonai, Thomas A1 - Zabala, Mikel A1 - Hopker, James A1 - Perakakis, Pandelis A1 - Luque-Casado, Antonio A1 - Ciria, Luis A1 - Guerra-Hernandez, Eduardo A1 - Sanabria, Daniel SP - 654 EP - 660 VL - 21 IS - 7 N2 - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of tramadol on performance during a 20-min cycling time-trial (Experiment 1), and to test whether sustained attention would be impaired during cycling after tramadol intake (Experiment 2).

DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial.

METHODS: In Experiment 1, participants completed a cycling time-trial, 120-min after they ingested either tramadol or placebo. In Experiment 2, participants performed a visual oddball task during the time-trial. Electroencephalography measures (EEG) were recorded throughout the session.

RESULTS: In Experiment 1, average time-trial power output was higher in the tramadol vs. placebo condition (tramadol: 220W vs. placebo: 209W; p<0.01). In Experiment 2, no differences between conditions were observed in the average power output (tramadol: 234W vs. placebo: 230W; p>0.05). No behavioural differences were found between conditions in the oddball task. Crucially, the time frequency analysis in Experiment 2 revealed an overall lower target-locked power in the beta-band (p<0.01), and higher alpha suppression (p<0.01) in the tramadol vs. placebo condition. At baseline, EEG power spectrum was higher under tramadol than under placebo in Experiment 1 while the reverse was true for Experiment 2.

CONCLUSIONS: Tramadol improved cycling power output in Experiment 1, but not in Experiment 2, which may be due to the simultaneous performance of a cognitive task. Interestingly enough, the EEG data in Experiment 2 pointed to an impact of tramadol on stimulus processing related to sustained attention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT number: 2015-005056-96.

Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1440-2440 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2017.10.032 ID - ref1 ER -