Purpose: Mental fatigue can have significant effects on neuropsychological performance and cognitive abilities, especially in complex and high-concentration activities such as shooting.

Methods: The present study included 20 semi-professional shooters aged 18 to 28 years, who were randomly assigned into two groups: mental fatigue and control. In the pre-test, all participants fired 30 shots at red, blue, and neutral targets, while electroencephalography (EEG) signals were recorded simultaneously. The mental fatigue group then underwent a 30-minute Stroop task, while the control group received no intervention. Finally, the post-test was conducted identically to the pre-test. The power spectrum (in µV²/Hz) of theta (4–8 Hz), alpha (8–12 Hz), and beta (13–30 Hz) frequency bands was calculated. Data were analyzed using mixed-design analysis of variance at a significance level of 0.05.

Findings: The results showed that mental fatigue and target color change the spatial pattern of brain frequency band activity. Mental fatigue was generally associated with an increase in theta band power spectrum (µV²/Hz) in sensorimotor and parietal regions. In the alpha frequency band, red and neutral targets induced a widespread increase in spectral power, whereas the blue target was associated with a decrease in spectral power in fronto-occipital regions. An interactive pattern was also observed in the beta frequency band.

Conclusion: The present findings indicate that mental fatigue caused by a cognitive task, as well as changes in sable color, can independently and interactively change the spectral patterns of the shooters' cerebral cortex in the theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands.