Tramadol effects on physical performance and sustained attention during a 20-min indoor cycling time-trial: A randomised controlled trial. Issue 7 (July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Holgado, Darías; Zandonai, Thomas; Zabala, Mikel; Hopker, James; Perakakis, Pandelis; Luque-Casado, Antonio; Ciria, Luis; Guerra-Hernandez, Eduardo; Sanabria, Daniel
• Is Part Of: Journal of science and medicine in sport. Volume 21:Issue 7(2018)
• Page Start: 654
• Page End: 660
• Publication Date: 2018-07
• Subjects: Doping in sport -- Opioid analgesic -- Athletes -- EEG -- Exercise -- Brain; Sports sciences -- Periodicals; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Physiological aspects -- Periodicals; Sports -- physiology -- Periodicals; Sports Medicine -- Periodicals; Sportgeneeskunde; 617.102705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsams.2017.10.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1440-2440

Abstract

Abstract: 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: 220 W vs. placebo: 209 W; p < 0.01). In Experiment 2, no differences between conditions were observed in the average power output (tramadol: 234 W vs. placebo: 230 W; 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.