Acute effect of high-definition and conventional tDCS on exercise performance and psychophysiological responses in endurance athletes: a randomized controlled trial

AbstractTranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been used aiming to boost exercise performance and inconsistent findings have been reported. One possible explanation is related to the limitations of the so-called “conventional” tDCS, which uses large rectangular electrodes, resulting in a diffuse electric field. A new tDCS technique called high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) has been recently developed. HD-tDCS uses small ring electrodes and produces improved focality and greater magnitude of its aftereffects. This study tested whether HD-tDCS would improve exercise performance to a greater extent than conventional tDCS. Twelve endurance athletes (29.4 ± 7.3 years; 60.15 ± 5.09 ml kg−1 min−1) were enrolled in this single-center, randomized, crossover, and sham-controlled trial. To test reliability, participants performed two time to exhaustion (TTE) tests (control conditions) on a cycle simulator with 80% of peak power until volitional exhaustion. Next, they randomly received HD-tDCS (2.4 mA), conventional (2.0 mA), or active sham tDCS (2.0 mA) over the motor cortex for 20-min before performing the TTE test. TTE, heart rate (HR), associative thoughts, peripheral (lower limbs), and whole-body ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded every minute. Outcome measures were reliable. There was no difference in TTE between HD-tDCS (853.1 ± 288.6 s), simulated conventional (827.8 ± 278.7 s), sham (794.3 ± 271.2 s), or control conditions (TTE1 = 751.1 ± 261.6 s or TTE2 = 770.8 ± 250.6 s) [F(1.95; 21.4) = 1.537; P = 0.24; η2p = 0.123]. There was no effect on peripheral or whole-body RPE and associative thoughts (P > 0.05). No serious adverse effect was reported. A single session of neither HD-tDCS nor conventional tDCS changed exercise performance and psychophysiological responses in athletes, suggesting that a ceiling effect may exist.

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Training-induced changes in muscle contraction patterns enhance exercise performance after short-term neuromuscular electrical stimulation

Isokinetics and Exercise Science ◽

10.3233/ies-202111 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 339-350

Author(s):

Gökhan Umutlu ◽

Nevzat Demirci ◽

Nasuh Evrim Acar

Keyword(s):

Electrical Stimulation ◽

Muscle Contraction ◽

Exercise Performance ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Dynamic Control ◽

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation ◽

Interval Training ◽

Time To Exhaustion ◽

Muscle Strengthening ◽

The Individual

BACKGROUND: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a complementary tool for therapeutic exercise for muscle strengthening and may potentially enhance exercise performance. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and continuous aerobic training (CA) coupled with NMES enhance the changes in the eccentric/concentric muscle contraction patterns of hamstring and quadriceps. METHODS: Forty-five healthy sedentary male participants performed cycling training 3 times per week for 8 weeks combined with/without NMES performed at a load equivalent to 65% and 120% of IVO2max (intensity associated with the achievement of maximal oxygen uptake). Anthropometrics, blood lactate measurements, IVO2max, TLimVO2max (time-to-exhaustion) and isokinetic strength parameters were measured at baseline and post-training using a randomized controlled trial. RESULTS: The conventional hamstring-to-quadriceps-ratio (HQR: Hcon/Qcon) at 60∘/s and the Dynamic Control Ratio (DCR: Hecc/Qcon) at 180∘/s significantly increased both in the dominant (D) and non-dominant (ND) limb in the HIIT + NMES group (p< 0.05). There was a positive significant correlation between the individual changes in D HQR at 60∘/s and IVO2max (r= 0.94, p= 0.005) and the DCR at 180∘/s and TLimVO2max (r= 0.90, p= 0.015), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The increases in the eccentric muscle contraction and DCR following HIIT + NMES seem to improve fatigue tolerance, cause less fatigue and oxidative stress on the lower limb during pedaling at high intensities.

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Long-term follow-up with a smartphone application improves exercise capacity post cardiac rehabilitation: A randomized controlled trial

European Journal of Preventive Cardiology ◽

10.1177/2047487320905717 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 (16) ◽

pp. 1782-1792 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Pernille Lunde ◽

Asta Bye ◽

Astrid Bergland ◽

Jostein Grimsmo ◽

Even Jarstad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Cardiac Rehabilitation ◽

Exercise Performance ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Goal Achievement ◽

Time To Exhaustion ◽

Exercise Habits ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

One Year

Background Mobile health interventions, especially smartphone applications (apps), have been proposed as promising interventions for supporting adherence to healthy behaviour in patients post cardiac rehabilitation (CR). The overall aim of the study was to examine the effect of individualized follow-up with an app for one year on peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in patients completing CR. Design The study was designed as a single-blinded multicentre randomized controlled trial. Methods The intervention group (IG) received individualized follow-up enabled with an app for one year, while the control group (CG) received usual care. The primary outcome was difference in VO2peak. Secondary outcomes included exercise performance (time to exhaustion, peak incline (%) and peak velocity (km/h)), bodyweight, resting blood pressure, lipid profile, triglycerides, exercise habits, health-related quality of life, health status and self-perceived goal achievement. Results In total, 113 patients completing CR (73.4% with coronary artery disease, 16.8% after valve surgery and 9.8% with other heart diseases) were randomly allocated to the IG or CG. Intention to treat analyses showed a statistically significant difference in VO2peak between the groups at follow-up of 2.2 ml/kg/min, 95% confidence interval 0.9–3.5 ( p < 0.001). Statistically significant differences were also observed in exercise performance, exercise habits and in self-perceived goal achievement. Conclusions Individualized follow-up for one year with an app significantly improved VO2peak, exercise performance and exercise habits, as well as self-perceived goal achievement, compared with a CG in patients post-CR. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups at follow-up in the other outcome measures evaluated.

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The effects of training in hyperoxia vs. normoxia on skeletal muscle enzyme activities and exercise performance

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/japplphysiol.01215.2006 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 102 (3) ◽

pp. 1022-1027 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Christopher G. R. Perry ◽

Jason L. Talanian ◽

George J. F. Heigenhauser ◽

Lawrence L. Spriet

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Exercise Performance ◽

Power Output ◽

Citrate Synthase ◽

Training Stimulus ◽

Whole Body ◽

Time To Exhaustion ◽

Activity Measurements ◽

Higher Power ◽

Power Outputs

Inspiring a hyperoxic (H) gas permits subjects to exercise at higher power outputs while training, but there is controversy as to whether this improves skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, maximal O2 consumption (V̇o2 max), and endurance performance to a greater extent than training in normoxia (N). To determine whether the higher power output during H training leads to a greater increase in these parameters, nine recreationally active subjects were randomly assigned in a single-blind fashion to train in H (60% O2) or N for 6 wk (3 sessions/wk of 10 × 4 min at 90% V̇o2 max). Training heart rate (HR) was maintained during the study by increasing power output. After at least 6 wk of detraining, a second 6-wk training protocol was completed with the other breathing condition. V̇o2 max and cycle time to exhaustion at 90% of pretraining V̇o2 max were tested in room air pre- and posttraining. Muscle biopsies were sampled pre- and posttraining for citrate synthase (CS), β-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (β-HAD), and mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (m-AsAT) activity measurements. Training power outputs were 8% higher (17 W) in H vs. N. However, both conditions produced similar improvements in V̇o2 max (11–12%); time to exhaustion (∼100%); and CS (H, 30%; N, 32%), β-HAD (H, 23%; N, 21%), and m-AsAT (H, 21%; N, 26%) activities. We conclude that the additional training stimulus provided by training in H was not sufficient to produce greater increases in the aerobic capacity of skeletal muscle and whole body V̇o2 max and exercise performance compared with training in N.

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The Effect of a Ketogenic Low-Carbohydrate, High-Fat Diet on Aerobic Capacity and Exercise Performance in Endurance Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13082896 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 2896

Author(s):

Jingguo Cao ◽

Siman Lei ◽

Xiuqiang Wang ◽

Sulin Cheng

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Aerobic Capacity ◽

Exercise Performance ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Rating Of Perceived Exertion ◽

Endurance Athletes ◽

Time To Exhaustion ◽

High Fat ◽

Intervention Protocol ◽

Low Carbohydrate

A low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet has been proposed to enhance the fat utilization of muscle and the aerobic capacity of endurance athletes, thereby improving their exercise performance. However, it remains uncertain how the macronutrient intake shift from carbohydrate to fat affects endurance exercise training and performance. This study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the effects of a ketogenic low-carbohydrate, high-fat (K-LCHF) diet on aerobic capacity and exercise performance among endurance athletes. Searches were carried out in five electronic databases, and we followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search included studies using an LCHF diet as an intervention protocol and compared data on factors such as maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) from the graded exercise test. In this case, 10 studies met the criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. We did not find a significant effect of K-LCHF diet interventions on VO2max, time to exhaustion, HRmax or RPE. However, a significant overall effect in the substrate oxidation response to respiratory exchange rate was observed. The meta-analysis showed that K-LCHF diets did not affect aerobic capacity and exercise performance. Therefore, high-quality interventions of a K-LCHF diet are needed to illustrate its effect on various endurance training programs.

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Impact of contextualizing information on aesthetic experience and psychophysiological responses to art in a museum: A naturalistic randomized controlled trial.

Psychology of Aesthetics Creativity and the Arts ◽

10.1037/aca0000280 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Luisa Krauss ◽

Celine Ott ◽

Klaus Opwis ◽

Andrea Meyer ◽

Jens Gaab

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Aesthetic Experience ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Psychophysiological Responses ◽

Randomized Controlled

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Randomized, controlled trial of standard-definition white-light, high-definition white-light, and narrow-band imaging colonoscopy for the detection of colon polyps and prediction of polyp histology.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.13484029.14861138 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew Banks ◽

Jayan Mannath

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

White Light ◽

Narrow Band ◽

Narrow Band Imaging ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Colon Polyps ◽

High Definition ◽

Standard Definition ◽

Randomized Controlled

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Effectiveness of a resistance exercise program for lower limbs in chronic renal patients on hemodialysis: A randomized controlled trial

Hemodialysis International ◽

10.1111/hdi.12918 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ana Luiza Exel ◽

Paulo Soares Lima ◽

Christiano Bertoldo Urtado ◽

Almir Vieira Dibai‐Filho ◽

Claudia Lucio Vilanova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Resistance Exercise ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Exercise Program ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Randomized Controlled

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Diagnostic Value of Whole-Body MRI Short Protocols in Bone Lesion Detection in Multiple Myeloma Patients

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics11061053 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1053

Author(s):

Davide Ippolito ◽

Teresa Giandola ◽

Cesare Maino ◽

Davide Gandola ◽

Maria Ragusi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Myeloma ◽

Bone Marrow Involvement ◽

Bone Lesion ◽

Diagnostic Value ◽

Lesion Detection ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Whole Body ◽

Bone Lesions ◽

Whole Body Mri ◽

Mri Protocol

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of short whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WBMRI) protocols for the overall assessment of bone marrow involvement in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), in comparison with standard whole-body MRI protocol. Patients with biopsy-proven MM, who underwent a WBMRI with full-body coverage (from vertex to feet) were retrospectively enrolled. WBMRI images were independently evaluated by two expert radiologists, in terms of infiltration patterns (normal, focal, diffuse, and combined), according to location (the whole skeleton was divided into six anatomic districts: skull, spine, sternum and ribs, upper limbs, pelvis and proximal two-thirds of the femur, remaining parts of lower limbs) and lytic lesions number (<5, 5–20, and >20). The majority of patients showed focal and combined infiltration patterns with bone lesions predominantly distributed in the spine and pelvis. As skull and lower limbs are less frequently involved by focal bone lesions, excluding them from the standard MRI protocol allows to obtain a shorter protocol, maintaining a good diagnostic value.

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