Effect of tDCS Combined With Physical Training on Physical Performance in a Healthy Population

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with physical training has shown inconsistent results through research. Hence, a study utilizing a long-term tDCS application over the primary motor cortex and a large sample size is required to determine whether tDCS combined with physical training can increase physical performance (muscular strength, endurance, and explosive strength) in healthy adults. Material and methods: Fifty-six healthy adults were randomly distributed into two groups: active (active tDCS+ physical training) and sham (sham tDCS + physical training) and received the intervention three times per week for six weeks. Muscle strength was assessed using maximal isometric muscle strength (MIMS) by a digital dynamometer. Muscular endurance and lower limb explosive strength were assessed by using muscle fitness testing (MFT), and the Sargent jump test. Results: The active and sham groups exhibited significant improvement in all measured parameters in intragroup analyses. However, intergroup analyses revealed no significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that only physical training improved MIMS in the upper and lower extremities, MFT endurance scores, and lower limb explosive power. Thus, tDCS failed to demonstrate its effectiveness in a healthy population according to the protocol used in this study.

KEYWORDS:

• Explosive power
• muscle strength
• physical endurance
• transcranial direct current stimulation

Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful to the Startrain Center (Seoul, South Korea) for its support during the recruitment of the participants and for facilitating their installations for the successful completion of this study. In addition, we thank the Y-Brain company for providing the tDCS device used in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.