Stress entropic load as an exploratory thermodynamic indicator of physiological activation during a laboratory gaming task

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Standardized gaming significantly increased Stress Entropic Load across phases (p<0.0001), with no significant overall difference between elite and amateur players (p=0.107).

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Observational. Population: Physiological activation and adaptive load during competitive gaming (n=55). Intervention: Elite esports status (professional/top players with >=6 h/day training) undergoing a standardized 15-minute Trackmania laboratory gaming stressor vs. Amateur esports players (recreational players with 2-6 h/day gaming practice). Primary outcome: Stress Entropic Load (SEL, J·K⁻¹·s⁻¹·kg⁻¹) across baseline, gaming task, and recovery phases (F(1, 50) = 2.69 for overall group effect; F(2, 102) = 98.52 for main effect of time, p=0.107 for overall group effect; <0.0001 for time effect).

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

A standardized laboratory gaming stressor significantly increases Stress Entropic Load across experimental phases, with no statistically significant overall difference between elite and amateur esports players. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate physiological activation and adaptive load in amateur and elite esports players during a standardized laboratory gaming stressor using stress entropic load (SEL).

Martin Sebera; Filip Zlámal; Lenka Svobodová; Julie Bienertová Vašků

doi:10.1038/s41598-026-77526-1

October 27, 2026Scientific ReportsOpen Access

Stress entropic load as an exploratory thermodynamic indicator of physiological activation during a laboratory gaming task

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Key result

Standardized gaming increases Stress Entropic Load across phases, with no difference between elite and amateur players.

F(1, 50) = 2.69 for overall group effect; F(2, 102) = 98.52 for main effect of time
P=0.107 for overall group effect; <0.0001 for time effect
n=55

Why the study?

This study explored whether Stress Entropic Load captures physiological activation and adaptive load during a standardized laboratory gaming stressor, and whether temporal activation profiles differ between amateur and elite esports players.

Does elite esports status modify the magnitude and temporal profile of physiological activation, as measured by Stress Entropic Load (SEL), compared to amateur status during a standardized laboratory gaming stressor in young adult male esports players?

Key Points

To evaluate physiological activation and adaptive load in amateur and elite esports players during a standardized laboratory gaming stressor using stress entropic load (SEL).
Assessed 55 male players (35 amateur, 20 elite; ages 15–30 years; mean age 22.5 ± 3.1 years) undergoing a protocol consisting of a 10-min baseline rest, a 15-min standardized Trackmania gaming task, and a 10-min recovery period.
Continuously monitored SEL using the Entrant system alongside anthropometric traits, body composition, subjective stress (PSS), sleep quality (PSQI), and physical activity (IPAQ).
Evaluated the effects of experimental phase, player group, and percent body fat on log-transformed SEL using a linear mixed-effects model.
SEL changed significantly across protocol phases in both groups (main effect of time: F(2, 102) = 98.52, p < 0.0001), increasing during gameplay from 5.8 × 10⁻³ to 7.7 × 10⁻³ in amateurs and from 9.3 × 10⁻³ to 11.0 × 10⁻³ in elite players.
The mixed-effects model revealed no statistically significant overall group effect between amateur and elite players (F(1, 50) = 2.69, p = 0.107) and no significant time × group interaction (F(2, 102) = 2.96, p = 0.056).
Percent body fat demonstrated a significant negative association with SEL in the primary model (F(1, 50) = 6.09, p = 0.017) and remained significant after adjusting for physical activity and age (beta = -0.0142, 95% CI [-0.0280, -0.0005], p = 0.043).

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=55)

Blinding

Open-label

Multicenter

No

Structured PICO

Does elite esports status modify the magnitude and temporal profile of physiological activation, as measured by Stress Entropic Load (SEL), compared to amateur status during a standardized laboratory gaming stressor in young adult male esports players?

P

Population

55 healthy male esports players (35 amateur, 20 elite; aged 15-30 years) evaluated across a 35-40 minute laboratory rest, gaming stressor, and recovery protocol.

E

Exposure

Elite esports experience (professional/top players regularly participating in highest competitions or under contract, training >=6 hours/day) exposed to a 35-40 minute laboratory protocol: 10 minutes baseline rest, 15-minute standardized Trackmania 2020 racing task with a 1-minute restart rule to induce time pressure and frustration, and 10 minutes recovery.

C

Comparator

Amateur esports players (recreational players without a professional contract, practicing 2-6 hours/day) undergoing the identical 35-40 minute laboratory Trackmania 2020 gaming stressor protocol.

O

Outcome

Stress Entropic Load (SEL, J·K⁻¹·s⁻¹·kg⁻¹), an exploratory thermodynamic indicator of physiological activation and adaptive load continuously monitored at 1 Hz using the Entrant system across baseline (10 min), gameplay (15 min), and recovery (10 min) phases.surrogate

Main Result

Effect estimate: F(1, 50) = 2.69 for overall group effect; F(2, 102) = 98.52 for main effect of time

Absolute Event Rate: 0.0103% vs 0.007%

p-value: p=0.107 for overall group effect; <0.0001 for time effect

Stress Entropic Load (SEL) captures changes in physiological activation across baseline, gameplay, and recovery during a standardized gaming task, though it did not significantly differentiate between amateur and elite esports players in this exploratory study.

Limitations

Unclear conceptual nature of Stress Entropic Load (SEL), which reflects thermodynamic demands rather than psychological distress
Underpowered for moderate between-group effects (achieved power estimate 0.68, n=55 vs planned n=72)
Lack of convergent validation of SEL against established physiological, endocrine, or psychological stress markers
Limited ecological validity due to using an unfamiliar racing game (Trackmania) rather than players' specialist esports titles
Potential residual confounding from unmeasured cardiorespiratory fitness, objective physical activity, and metabolic health
Male-only sample limiting generalizability to female players
Unclear conceptual nature of the Stress Entropic Load (SEL) indicator, which reflects thermodynamic demands of adaptive response rather than psychological distress
Underpowered for moderate between-group effects (achieved power estimate 0.68; 55 participants recruited vs. 72 planned)
SEL was not validated against established physiological, endocrine, or psychological stress markers in this study
Limited ecological validity due to use of an unfamiliar racing game (Trackmania) under a fixed one-minute restart rule rather than players' specialist esports titles

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Implication

Gaming elevates SEL without elite-amateur differences; hypothesis-generating for thermodynamic stress monitoring, should not yet change practice.

Abstract

This exploratory study examines physiological activation and adaptive load in esports players during a standardized laboratory gaming stressor using Stress Entropic Load (SEL), a thermodynamic indicator derived using the Entrant system. It explores differences between amateur and elite players and examines whether long-term esports experience is associated with a different temporal profile of physiological activation. Fifty-five players (35 amateur, 20 elite; ages 15–30) participated in the study. Anthropometric data, body composition, subjective stress (PSS), sleep quality (PSQI), and physical activity (IPAQ) were recorded. The laboratory protocol included 10 min of baseline rest, a 15-min standardized Trackmania task designed to induce time pressure and frustration, and a subsequent recovery period. Participants were not specialists in Trackmania; therefore, the task should be regarded as a laboratory gaming stressor rather than a simulation of title-specific esports competition. SEL was continuously monitored throughout the procedure using the Entrant system. SEL changed significantly across the experimental phases in both groups (main effect of time, p < 0.001). Mean SEL values were descriptively higher in elite players across protocol phases; however, the mixed-effects model showed no statistically significant overall group effect ( p = 0.107). The time × group interaction also did not reach statistical significance ( p = 0.056). Accordingly, the observed between-group pattern is exploratory and should be interpreted as a preliminary trend requiring replication in a larger sample, rather than robust evidence of group separation. These findings should be interpreted as preliminary evidence that SEL may capture changes in physiological activation during a laboratory gaming task; they do not establish SEL as a validated measure of psychological stress or demonstrate an advantage over established physiological markers.

Discussion

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Cite This Study

Sebera et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Physiological activation and adaptive load during competitive gaming (n=55). Elite esports status (professional/top players with >=6 h/day training) undergoing a standardized 15-minute Trackmania laboratory gaming stressor vs. Amateur esports players (recreational players with 2-6 h/day gaming practice) was evaluated on Stress Entropic Load (SEL, J·K⁻¹·s⁻¹·kg⁻¹) across baseline, gaming task, and recovery phases (F(1, 50) = 2.69 for overall group effect; F(2, 102) = 98.52 for main effect of time, p=0.107 for overall group effect; <0.0001 for time effect). Standardized gaming significantly increased Stress Entropic Load across phases (p<0.0001), with no significant overall difference between elite and amateur players (p=0.107).

synapsesocial.com/papers/6ae2e2a161f440a81e659212 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-77526-1

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Stress entropic load as an exploratory thermodynamic indicator of physiological activation during a laboratory gaming task

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Stress entropic load as an exploratory thermodynamic indicator of physiological activation during a laboratory gaming task

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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