tDCS to Increase Aerobic Performance in Runners

Phase 1

Completed

• Conditions: Athletic Performance
• Interventions: Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

• Registration Number: NCT04005846
• Lead Sponsor: University of Liege

Brief Summary

Many different factors affect running performance, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a widely used and available neuromodulation tool and could hypothetically facilitate the supraspinal drive and thereby act upstream of the motor cortex to prolong the muscles work in time to exhaustion trials. While it appears to decrease the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during cycling, little is known about the effects of tDCS on physiological performance parameters such as maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), maximal aerobic speed (MAS) and lactate thresholds in runners.

The aim of this prospective randomized sham-controlled clinical trial is to investigate the physiological effects of tDCS applied over the motor cortex on perceived exertion and performance-related parameters measured by an incremental treadmill test to exhaustion.

This research thus aims at answering the following questions:

1. Is active tDCS applied bilaterally over the motor cortex significantly more efficient than sham tDCS to improve the TTE?

2. Does active tDCS decreases the RPE, as compared to sham?

3. Is there any significant difference between active and sham tDCS on the physiological parameters measured during an incremental test to exhaustion, namely: VO2max, MAS, respiratory exchange ratio, blood lactate levels, maximal heart rate?

4. Does the baseline level of physical fitness influences response to tDCS?

The investigators hypothesize that 1) performance as measured by time to exertion will be increased following active and not sham tDCS due to a decreased perceived rate of exertion without significantly altering the other physiological parameters; and 2) performance as measured by incremental treadmill test to exhaustion will be more improved in recreational as compared to trained runners.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2019-06-21
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-07-01
• Study First Posted: 2019-07-02
• Study Start: 2019-09-01
• Primary Completion: 2023-04-15
• Study Completion: 2023-04-15
• Status Verified: 2023-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-05-08
• Last Update Posted: 2023-05-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 53

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy subject
• Regular running activity above 2 hours/week
• VO2max above 30 mL/min/kg

Exclusion Criteria

• Pacemaker
• Intracerebral metallic implant
• Smoking
• Using dietary supplementation or medication potentially affecting the CNS
• Musculoskeletal injury within the past 6 weeks

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Sham tDCS first / Active tDCS second	Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)	Receiving sham tDCS during the first visit followed by active tDCS on the next visit
Active tDCS first / Sham tDCS second	Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)	Receiving active tDCS during the first visit followed by sham tDCS on the next visit

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Time to exertion (active vs. sham)	Immediate	Time to achieve exhaustion during a treadmill test where the speed is set at a constant 90% of the individual maximal aerobic speed (determined during the screening visit)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Maximal Oxygen Consumption (VO2max) evolution (active vs. sham)	Immediate	VO2max will be assessed continuously during the time to exhaustion trial using a gas analyzer
Lactate thresholds (active vs. sham)	Every 3 minutes during the test to exhaustion until the end of the test (up to 1 hour after the stimulation)	Levels of blood lactate will be measured continuously (every 3 minutes) during the time to exhaustion trial using capillary blood and a lactate analyzer
Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) evolution (active vs. sham)	Every 3 minutes during the test to exhaustion until the end of the test (up to 1 hour after the stimulation)	RPE will be assessed continuously (every 3 minutes) during the time to exhaustion trial using the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale (RPE scale). The Borg RPE scale is a quantitative measure of perceived exertion during physical activity. The scale starts with "no feeling of exertion," which rates a 6, and ends with "very, very hard," which rates a 20. Moderate activities register 11 to 14 on the Borg scale ("fairly light" to "somewhat hard"), while vigorous activities usually rate a 15 or higher ("hard" to "very, very hard").

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

ISEPK ULiège; 🇧🇪 Liège, Belgium