Martin J Barwood1, Jake Butterworth2, Stuart Goodall3, James R House2, Ryan Laws3, Alexander Nowicky4, Jo Corbett2. 1. Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Northumberland Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK. Electronic address: martin.barwood@northumbria.ac.uk. 2. Extreme Environments Laboratory, Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Portsmouth, Spinnaker Building, Cambridge Road, Portsmouth, PO1 2ER, UK. 3. Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Northumberland Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK. 4. Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulatory technique and has previously been shown to enhance submaximal exercise by reducing rating of perceived exertion (RPE). The present study examined the effects of tDCS on high-intensity self-paced exercise in temperate conditions and fixed followed by maximal exercise in the heat; it was hypothesised that performance and RPE would be altered. METHODS: Two separate studies were undertaken in which exercise was preceded by 20-minutes of sham tDCS (SHAM), or anodal tDCS (TDCS). In study 1, six males completed a 20-km cycling time trial, on two occasions. Power output (PO), RPE, O2 pulse, and heart rate (HR) were measured throughout. In study 2, eight males completed fixed intensity cycling exercise at 55% of a pre-determined maximal power output (PMax) for 25-minutes before undertaking a time to exhaustion test (TTE; 75% PMax) in hot conditions (33 °C), on two occasions. Test duration, heart rate, thermal and perceptual responses were measured. Study specific and combined statistical analyses were undertaken and effect sizes established. RESULTS: In study 1, mean PO was not improved with the tDCS (197 ± 20 W) compared to SHAM (197 ± 12 W) and there were no differences in pacing profile HR, O2 pulse or RPE (p > .05). In study 2, TTE duration (SHAM 314 ± 334 s cf 237 ± 362 s tDCS), thermal, heart rate and perceptual responses were unchanged by tDCS compared to SHAM (p > .05). When combined, performance in the SHAM trial tended to better than the tDCS. CONCLUSION: tDCS did not influence cycling performance (study 1) exercise tolerance (study 2) or perception (studies 1 and 2). tDCS does not appear to facilitate high intensity exercise performance or exercise performance in the heat.
BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulatory technique and has previously been shown to enhance submaximal exercise by reducing rating of perceived exertion (RPE). The present study examined the effects of tDCS on high-intensity self-paced exercise in temperate conditions and fixed followed by maximal exercise in the heat; it was hypothesised that performance and RPE would be altered. METHODS: Two separate studies were undertaken in which exercise was preceded by 20-minutes of sham tDCS (SHAM), or anodal tDCS (TDCS). In study 1, six males completed a 20-km cycling time trial, on two occasions. Power output (PO), RPE, O2 pulse, and heart rate (HR) were measured throughout. In study 2, eight males completed fixed intensity cycling exercise at 55% of a pre-determined maximal power output (PMax) for 25-minutes before undertaking a time to exhaustion test (TTE; 75% PMax) in hot conditions (33 °C), on two occasions. Test duration, heart rate, thermal and perceptual responses were measured. Study specific and combined statistical analyses were undertaken and effect sizes established. RESULTS: In study 1, mean PO was not improved with the tDCS (197 ± 20 W) compared to SHAM (197 ± 12 W) and there were no differences in pacing profile HR, O2 pulse or RPE (p > .05). In study 2, TTE duration (SHAM 314 ± 334 s cf 237 ± 362 s tDCS), thermal, heart rate and perceptual responses were unchanged by tDCS compared to SHAM (p > .05). When combined, performance in the SHAM trial tended to better than the tDCS. CONCLUSION: tDCS did not influence cycling performance (study 1) exercise tolerance (study 2) or perception (studies 1 and 2). tDCS does not appear to facilitate high intensity exercise performance or exercise performance in the heat.
Authors: Andrea Antal; Bruce Luber; Anna-Katharine Brem; Marom Bikson; Andre R Brunoni; Roi Cohen Kadosh; Veljko Dubljević; Shirley Fecteau; Florinda Ferreri; Agnes Flöel; Mark Hallett; Roy H Hamilton; Christoph S Herrmann; Michal Lavidor; Collen Loo; Caroline Lustenberger; Sergio Machado; Carlo Miniussi; Vera Moliadze; Michael A Nitsche; Simone Rossi; Paolo M Rossini; Emiliano Santarnecchi; Margitta Seeck; Gregor Thut; Zsolt Turi; Yoshikazu Ugawa; Ganesan Venkatasubramanian; Nicole Wenderoth; Anna Wexler; Ulf Ziemann; Walter Paulus Journal: Clin Neurophysiol Pract Date: 2022-05-25
Authors: Carlo Baldari; Cosme F Buzzachera; Marcelo Vitor-Costa; Juliano M Gabardo; Andrea G Bernardes; Leandro R Altimari; Laura Guidetti Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2018-10-09