Research advances in exercise and cognitive fatigue: a bibliometric analysis and thematic strategic evolution analysis

BackgroundCognitive fatigue (CF), characterized by decrements in executive function and heightened subjective exhaustion resulting from prolonged cognitive exertion, has emerged as a critical determinant of athletic performance and psychophysiological wellbeing. Despite the exponential growth in research output, systematic quantitative analyses of the intellectual structure, evolutionary trajectory, and emerging frontiers within this domain remain scarce.MethodsDrawing upon the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases, this study retrieved publications addressing exercise and cognitive fatigue from 1998 to 2025 using the search strategy: TS = (“physical activity” OR exercise OR sport*) AND TS = (“mental fatigue” OR “cognitive fatigue” OR “mental fog” OR “cognitive weariness*” OR “cognitive exhaustion*”). Following systematic screening, 820 articles were included for bibliometric analysis utilizing Bibliometrix and VOSviewer.ResultsPublication output rose modestly (1.84% annually), peaking in 2025 (n = 106), likely reflecting post-pandemic mental health research expansion and portable neurotechnology adoption. The US and China led productivity; the UK showed highest citation impact (48.16/article), suggesting influential contributions, though this may reflect publication timing and foundational works. Vrije Universiteit Brussel and University of Birmingham topped institutional output, reflecting sustained contributions within the Marcora, Meeusen, and Roelands traditions. Frontiers in Psychology was most influential. Keywords shifted from laboratory tasks to ecologically valid sport contexts (“football,” “team sports”). Thematic evolution moved from “chronic fatigue syndrome” to “perceived exertion” and “depression,” then to “executive function” and “combat sports”, indicating a gradual shift from descriptive symptoms to integrated cognitive-affective-physiological mechanisms. “Cognitive effort,” “physical fatigue,” and “executive function” occupied the motor themes quadrant in 2024, 2025, signaling mature, structurally central topics. Findings suggest emerging brain-body-performance integration.ConclusionThis study traces an evolution from pathological fatigue measurement to executive function precision assessment. Bibliometric indicators reveal growing emphasis on cognitive effort as a motor modulator, with co-occurrence patterns identifying dual clusters around subjective perception and performance parameters. Whether this bibliographic convergence reflects validated physiological mechanisms or emerging theoretical hypotheses requires further primary experimental investigation. This analysis provides a complementary, field-level perspective that complements, rather than replaces, primary experimental research.