ABSTRACT
In Chapter 1, the two most prevalent fatigue theories were introduced: peripheral fatigue and central fatigue (Section 1.2). Briefly, peripheral fatigue refers to causes of fatigue that are outside of the central nervous system (CNS), through processes distal to the neuromuscular junction. Central fatigue refers to causes of fatigue located within the CNS, proximal to the neuromuscular junction (within the brain, spinal nerves, and motor neurons). In addition, the more recent argument that we should conceptualise fatigue less as a specific “type”, such as central or peripheral fatigue, and more like a global symptom was also discussed (Section 1.2.4). This recent suggestion about the re-conceptualisation of fatigue perhaps questions the worth/appropriateness of having a chapter called “central fatigue”. However, there is a large body of research that has been published under the traditional definition of central fatigue, and it is important to be aware of this work both for its standalone significance but also to better understand how it informs contemporary fatigue research and understanding.
