Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Athletic Performance

Investigation of the Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Athletic Performance: A Comparison Between Primary Motor Cortex and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

IRCT

Registry ID

IRCT20250430065545N1

Enrollment

Registered

2025-08-14

Start date

2025-05-22

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2025-08-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Strength, muscular endurance, and perceived exertion in strength athletes.

Interventions

Intervention Group 1: Primary Motor Cortex (M1) Stimulation:Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex (M1).Stimulation parameters: Current intensity of 2 mA f

however, active stimulation will not continue throughout the 20-minute duration.This study is a randomized, double-blind, crossover clinical trial. Each participant will receive all three intervention

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

Male

Age

18 Years to 30 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: At least 6 months of experience in resistance training Right feet dominant

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: History of musculoskeletal injury in lumbar, hip, or knee Use of hormonal injection such as steroids in the last 3 months Use of creatine supplement in the last 1 month

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC): Maximum isometric force produced by the quadriceps femoris muscle. Muscular Endurance: Maximum number of correct repetitions of knee extension exercise with a specific load (30-40% of 1-RM) until complete exhaustion. Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE): Subjective assessment of an individual's perceived level of difficulty and strain associated with the physical activity performed. Timepoint: Before and immediately after each intervention session (anodal tDCS over M1, anodal tDCS over DLPFC, and sham tDCS). Method of measurement: Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC): Using a handheld dynamometer, while the subject is seated on a knee extension machine with the knee flexed at a 90-degree angle. The subject is instructed to extend the knee with maximal effort for 5 seconds. This process is repeated 3 times with a one-minute rest interval, and the highest value is recorded.Muscular Endurance: Using a leg extension machine. Subjects are asked to lift a weight equivalent to 30-40% of their 1-RM until they can no longer perform additional repetitions. The number of completed repetitions is recorded.Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE): Using the Borg's RPE scale (ranging from 6 to 20), reported by the subject after the muscular endurance test.	—

Measure

Time frame

Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC): Maximum isometric force produced by the quadriceps femoris muscle. Muscular Endurance: Maximum number of correct repetitions of knee extension exercise with a specific load (30-40% of 1-RM) until complete exhaustion. Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE): Subjective assessment of an individual's perceived level of difficulty and strain associated with the physical activity performed. Timepoint: Before and immediately after each intervention session (anodal tDCS over M1, anodal tDCS over DLPFC, and sham tDCS). Method of measurement: Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC): Using a handheld dynamometer, while the subject is seated on a knee extension machine with the knee flexed at a 90-degree angle. The subject is instructed to extend the knee with maximal effort for 5 seconds. This process is repeated 3 times with a one-minute rest interval, and the highest value is recorded.Muscular Endurance: Using a leg extension machine. Subjects are asked to lift a weight equivalent to 30-40% of their 1-RM until they can no longer perform additional repetitions. The number of completed repetitions is recorded.Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE): Using the Borg's RPE scale (ranging from 6 to 20), reported by the subject after the muscular endurance test.

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Countries

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Contacts

Public ContactMohammad Hossein Shafiezadeh

Esfahan University of Medical Sciences

shafiezadeh@rehab.mui.ac.ir+98 31 3653 1491

Outcome results

None listed

Source: IRCT (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026