Neither Cathodal nor Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex alone...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Exercise Physiology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Aerobic exercise (AE) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) individually modulate executive functions (EF).
• Previous research suggests combining tDCS with AE may benefit physical performance.
• The combined effects of tDCS during AE on EF remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if tDCS applied during an AE session provides additional or different effects on executive functions (EF).
• To compare the acute effects of isolated tDCS, AE, and their combined application on EF.
• To examine physiological and subjective responses to combined AE and tDCS protocols.

Main Methods:

• Five experiments utilized a counterbalanced pre-post-retention crossover design.
• Participants underwent conditions including isolated cathodal tDCS, anodal tDCS, AE, and combined tDCS (anodal, cathodal, sham) during AE.
• Executive functions (inhibition, updating), heart rate, and ratings of perceived exertion were measured.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in cognitive test parameters across all experiments.
• Anodal tDCS during AE significantly affected heart rate compared to sham.
• Cathodal tDCS during AE led to a slight reduction in ratings of perceived exertion.

Conclusions:

• The study found no strong evidence that combining AE with tDCS enhances executive functions.
• The applied protocol demonstrated effects on physiological parameters (heart rate) and subjective ratings (perceived exertion).
• Future research should explore variations in AE and tDCS parameters, as well as application timing (online vs. offline).