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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04005846

tDCS to Increase Aerobic Performance in Runners

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Athletic Performance

Age range

18 year–35 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1 / Phase 2

Primary location

ISEPK ULiège

Liège, 4000, Belgium

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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

Treatment and study plan

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.

Primary outcomes

  1. Time to exertion (active vs. sham)

    Time frame: 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 outcomes

  1. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) evolution (active vs. sham)

    Time frame: 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").

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

    Time frame: Immediate

    VO2max will be assessed continuously during the time to exhaustion trial using a gas analyzer

  3. Lactate thresholds (active vs. sham)

    Time frame: 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

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Liege

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to Improve Maximal Aerobic Performance in Recreational and Trained Runners

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
Jul 2, 2019
Registry last updated
May 9, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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