tDCS to Increase Aerobic Performance in Runners

NCT04005846 | Completed Phase 1

• 1 other identifier: CE2019/186
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 53
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

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. 1.Is active tDCS applied bilaterally over the motor cortex significantly more efficient than sham tDCS to improve the TTE?
2. 2.Does active tDCS decreases the RPE, as compared to sham?
3. 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. 4.Does the baseline level of physical fitness influences response to tDCS?

Conditions

Athletic Performance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Time to exertion (active vs. sham)

  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)

  Immediate

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• 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)

• Maximal Oxygen Consumption (VO2max) evolution (active vs. sham)

  Immediate

• 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)

Study Arms (2)

Active tDCS first / Sham tDCS second

OTHER

Receiving active tDCS during the first visit followed by sham tDCS on the next visit

Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Sham tDCS first / Active tDCS second

OTHER

Receiving sham tDCS during the first visit followed by active tDCS on the next visit

Device: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Interventions

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) DEVICE

The active session of tDCS will consist in applying two anodes over M1 bilaterally (C3 and C4 according to the 10-20 international EEG placement) and the cathodes over the occipital areas (O1 and O2), and to inject 2 mA for 20 minutes through sponge electrodes (35 cm²) placed on the scalp using the Startsim 8 (Neuroelectrics, Barcelona). The sham tDCS will use the same montage and device but direct current will only be injected for 30 seconds, with a ramp-up and ramp-down 15 seconds period, to mimic the somatosensory effects of active tDCS.

Active tDCS first / Sham tDCS second; Sham tDCS first / Active tDCS second

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

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

You may not qualify if:

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

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Liege: lead

Study Sites (1)

ISEPK ULiège

Liège, 4000, Belgium

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Martens G, Hody S, Bornheim S, Angius L, De Beaumont L, Fregni F, Ruffini G, Kaux JF, Thibaut A, Bury T. Can transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the motor cortex increase endurance running performance? a randomized crossover-controlled trial. PLoS One. 2024 Dec 5;19(12):e0312084. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312084. eCollection 2024.

  PMID: 39637186 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Electric Stimulation Therapy; Therapeutics; Convulsive Therapy; Psychiatric Somatic Therapies; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Electroshock; Psychological Techniques

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 1
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: QUADRUPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Double-blind randomized sham controlled crossover

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 21, 2019
• First Posted: July 2, 2019
• Study Start: September 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: April 15, 2023
• Study Completion: April 15, 2023
• Last Updated: May 9, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

BE (1)