Improving Cycling Performance: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Increases Time to Exhaustion in Cycling

Abstract

The central nervous system seems to have an important role in fatigue and exercise tolerance. Novel noninvasive techniques of neuromodulation can provide insights on the relationship between brain function and exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on physical performance and physiological and perceptual variables with regard to fatigue and exercise tolerance. Eleven physically active subjects participated in an incremental test on a cycle simulator to define peak power output. During 3 visits, the subjects experienced 3 stimulation conditions (anodal, cathodal, or sham tDCS—with an interval of at least 48 h between conditions) in a randomized, counterbalanced order to measure the effects of tDCS on time to exhaustion at 80% of peak power. Stimulation was administered before each test over 13 min at a current intensity of 2.0 mA. In each session, the Brunel Mood State questionnaire was given twice: after stimulation and after the time-to-exhaustion test. Further, during the tests, the electromyographic activity of the vastus lateralis and rectus femoris muscles, perceived exertion, and heart rate were recorded. RM-ANOVA showed that the subjects performed better during anodal primary motor cortex stimulation (491 ± 100 s) compared with cathodal stimulation (443 ± 11 s) and sham (407 ± 69 s). No significant difference was observed between the cathodal and sham conditions. The effect sizes confirmed the greater effect of anodal M1 tDCS (anodal x cathodal = 0.47; anodal x sham = 0.77; and cathodal x sham = 0.29). Magnitude-based inference suggested the anodal condition to be positive versus the cathodal and sham conditions. There were no differences among the three stimulation conditions in RPE (p = 0.07) or heart rate (p = 0.73). However, as hypothesized, RM- ANOVA revealed a main effect of time for the two variables (RPE and HR: p < 0.001). EMG activity also did not differ during the test accross the different conditions. We conclude that anodal tDCS increases exercise tolerance in a cycling-based, constant-load exercise test, performed at 80% of peak power. Performance was enhanced in the absence of changes in physiological and perceptual variables.

Bilateral extracephalic transcranial direct current stimulation improves endurance performance in healthy individuals

“…To the best of our knowledge only four studies have previously investigated the effects of tDCS on various measures of endurance performance [17–19,21]. In a previous study from our laboratory, we found no significant changes in TTF during cycling exercise when a cephalic montage was administered with a single anodal electrode over one M1 and with the cathode over contralateral prefrontal cortex [21].…”

“…With specific reference to the enhancement of endurance performance, the acute administration of anodal stimulation over the contralateral primary motor cortex (M1) prior to or during isometric time to task failure (TTF) tests of isolated muscle groups has induced either an improvement [10–13], or no effect [14,15]. A similar inconsistency in endurance performance outcomes has been also reported in cycling studies [16–19]. The inconsistent effects of tDCS on endurance performance found in previous experimental studies might be partly caused by the different electrode montages adopted [20].…”

Transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation induces lasting fatigue resistance and enhances explosive vertical jump performance

“…Recent research investigating the effects of tcDCS on steady state cycling endurance found that anodal stimulation attenuated central fatigue mechanisms and allowed cyclists to increase their time to exhaustion [31]. Similar to the effects of tcDCS on supraspinal fatigue mechanisms, it appears that anodal tsDCS interferes with the regulatory actions that spinal circuits have on motor unit excitability and eccentric contraction fatigue.…”

Performance Optimization in Sport: A Psychophysiological Approach

“…Beyond NFB training, there are other methods to improve skills and motor performance based on neuroplasticity 38,39,40 . Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques facilitate motor skill learning by increasing the corticospinal excitability.…”