“Brain-Doping,” Is It a Real Threat? / Darías Holgado, Miguel A. Vadillo, Daniel Sanabria. - (Frontiers in Physiology 10 (2019) 483 (24 April); p. 1-2).
- PMCID: PMC6491773.
- PMID: 31068840.
- DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00483
Abstract:
Since the term “Neurodoping” was introduced, the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has gained popularity in Sports Science within a short space of time, based on the same straightforward logic: if exercise is to some extent determined by brain activity, then stimulating brain areas related to exercise should improve physical and sport performance. In fact, companies like Halo Sport claim that their “do-it-yourself” tDCS device has ergogenic effects and can increase sport and exercise performance. In a recent review in Frontiers in Physiology, Angius et al. suggested that tDCS might have a positive effect on exercise capacity, although the mechanisms of that potential benefit were unknown. However, the expectations derived from those initial studies showing tDCS as an effective technique to increase exercise performance or reduce rate of perceived exertion (RPE), have left room for many others that do not seem to support the effectiveness of tDCS in the Sports science.
