TY - JOUR
T1 - Acute effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on cycling performance in trained male athletes
AU - Muniz-Pardos, Borja
AU - Subias-Perie, Jorge
AU - Geda, Elisabetta
AU - Molino, Luigi
AU - Casajus, Jose A.
AU - Pitsiladis, Yannis P.
N1 - Funding information:
This study was funded by a grant from CIDIMU group and the Sub2 Foundation.
Publisher copyright:
© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter on behalf of Shangai Jiao Tong University and Guangzhou Sport University
PY - 2024/5
Y1 - 2024/5
N2 - Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of applying anodal tDCS (2 mA for 20 min) over the scalp from T3 (anodal-tDCS) to Fp2 (cathodal-tDCS) on the perceptual, physiological and performance responses during maximal incremental and constant-load exercise (CLE) in trained cyclists.Methods: Eleven male cyclists performed maximal incremental exercise (MIE) on a cycle ergometer under either tDCS or sham, with power output, heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (V̇O2), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) assessed throughout, and blood samples collected before and after MIE. On two separate occasions, nine subjects performed CLE at 62 % of the peak power output followed by a 15 km time trial under either tDCS or sham (n=8 for the time trial).Results: HR, V̇O2, RPE and blood samples were collected at regular intervals. There were no differences between tDCS and sham in any variable during the MIE. tDCS elicited a decreased HR (F(4,8)=9.232; p=0.016; ηp2=0.54), increased V̇O2 (F(4,8)=8.920; p=0.015; ηp2=0.50) and increased blood non-esterified fatty acids (F(6,8)=11.754; p=0.009; ηp2=0.60) and glycerol (F(6,8)=6.603; p=0.037; ηp2=0.49) concentrations during the CLE when compared to sham. tDCS also improved 15 km time trial performance by 3.6 % (p=0.02; d=0.47) without affecting RPE, HR and blood lactate.Conclusions: The application of tDCS over the temporal cortex in trained cyclists improved cycling performance during a self-paced time trial but did not enhance performance during maximal incremental exercise. These results are encouraging and merit further investigation of the ergogenic effects of tDCS in trained athletes.
AB - Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of applying anodal tDCS (2 mA for 20 min) over the scalp from T3 (anodal-tDCS) to Fp2 (cathodal-tDCS) on the perceptual, physiological and performance responses during maximal incremental and constant-load exercise (CLE) in trained cyclists.Methods: Eleven male cyclists performed maximal incremental exercise (MIE) on a cycle ergometer under either tDCS or sham, with power output, heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (V̇O2), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) assessed throughout, and blood samples collected before and after MIE. On two separate occasions, nine subjects performed CLE at 62 % of the peak power output followed by a 15 km time trial under either tDCS or sham (n=8 for the time trial).Results: HR, V̇O2, RPE and blood samples were collected at regular intervals. There were no differences between tDCS and sham in any variable during the MIE. tDCS elicited a decreased HR (F(4,8)=9.232; p=0.016; ηp2=0.54), increased V̇O2 (F(4,8)=8.920; p=0.015; ηp2=0.50) and increased blood non-esterified fatty acids (F(6,8)=11.754; p=0.009; ηp2=0.60) and glycerol (F(6,8)=6.603; p=0.037; ηp2=0.49) concentrations during the CLE when compared to sham. tDCS also improved 15 km time trial performance by 3.6 % (p=0.02; d=0.47) without affecting RPE, HR and blood lactate.Conclusions: The application of tDCS over the temporal cortex in trained cyclists improved cycling performance during a self-paced time trial but did not enhance performance during maximal incremental exercise. These results are encouraging and merit further investigation of the ergogenic effects of tDCS in trained athletes.
KW - brain stimulation
KW - athletic performance
KW - cycling
KW - neural plasticity
KW - cortical modulation
UR - https://www.degruyter.com/journal/key/teb/1/1/html
U2 - 10.1515/teb-2024-2008
DO - 10.1515/teb-2024-2008
M3 - Journal article
SN - 2942-6812
VL - 1
SP - 60
EP - 70
JO - Translational Exercise Biomedicine
JF - Translational Exercise Biomedicine
IS - 1
ER -