The Long-term Simultaneous Motor Cortex Stimulation and Balance Training

Summary

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a simple, portable, and low-cost technology applied in neuroscience for therapeutic purposes and neurophysiological research of brain activity. Enhancing the impacts of training and improving performance in athletes through the use of tDCS is a significant aim for today.

The primary purpose of this study is to determine how non-professional active athletes' balance and movement measurements can be affected by the simultaneous application of a 4-week balance training and anodal tDCS of motor cortex(M1). This study hypothesizes that anodal stimulation of motor cortex will enhance performance in balance training among moderately active and healthy participants. The study outcomes will provide data for literatures on performance enhancement by demonstrating how effective skill development can be acquired in a short time among moderately active athletes. In addition, the study outcomes will provide convenient tDCS parameter for future neuromodulation studies interested in the treatment of balance disorders in patients and the elderly. Uniquely, in our study, the link between tDCS and movement parameters will be investigated. Additionally, a long-term balance training program in combination with tDCS of M1 in amateur has never been tested in amateur athletes.

The secondary purpose of the study is to obtain feedback from participants via pre- and post-tDCS and balance training, using continuous performance tests, estimated reaction time, and depression-anxiety scales to gather data on reaction time, anticipation, impulsivity, attention, and mood changes that directly affect athlete performance. In continuous performance test, a decrease in reaction times without an increase in the number of errors (misstep-commission) and the number of non-pressing (non-pressing-omission) will be considered as a successful outcome. While increasing balance performance and reducing the reaction time is anticipated as a positive outcome, simultaneously changes in mood, attention, and error rate is an unanticipated and undesired outcome. Although the selected stimulation area is not directly related to these functions, this study will additionally control for any potential changes that might have been missed in functions that are not the study's primary focus.

Conditions

• Coordination and Balance Disturbances

Interventions

DEVICE

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

The anode electrode will be placed at the midline of the Cz according to international 10-20 EEG system, and the cathode electrode will be placed at the midline of forehead. In this way, both hemisphere of motor cortex can be stimulated which is used as protocol in various balance studies (Siedel-Marzi and Ragert, 2020b; Saruco et al., 2017). Participants will continue their training with tDCS (2mA) for 20 minutes. This application will continue three times a week for four weeks. In the end of the study, participants will be asked to guess which group they were in (active or sham).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey

  collaborator OTHER

• Marmara University

  collaborator OTHER

• İstinye University

  collaborator OTHER

• Koc University Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Ezgi Tuna Erdoğan · Koç University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

35 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-09-01

Primary Completion

2024-05-30

Completion

2024-09-01

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations