University of Montreal

Published purpose

Extended exposure to the isolated and extreme conditions at the Concordia station may induce mental fatigue, a state associated with mood disturbances, safety concerns, and work errors. The BREEZE-project aims to comprehensively evaluate mental fatigue, sleep, and physical fitness during an Antarctic overwintering campaign by tracking psychological, (neuro)physiological, and behavioral parameters. Assessments will include questionnaires on fatigue, sleepiness, coping strategies, and mood, as well as polysomnography, exercise heart rate, genotype analysis, arterial oxygen saturation, actigraphy, and activity diaries. The study will focus on interindividual differences and their stability over time. Additionally, two countermeasures will be tested: acetazolamide supplementation to improve sleep quality and reduce mental fatigue, and oxygen-enriched physical exercise to enhance performance and consequently mitigate fatigue. Ultimately, the project aims to map mental fatigability changes and elucidate genotype-related variability in response to extreme environments. This multidisciplinary approach will advance understanding of fatigue mechanisms and inform development of effective interventions.