Qi Shuo, Cao Lei, Wang Qingchun, Sheng Yin, Yu Jinglun, Liang Zhiqiang
School of Sport and Health, Shandong Sport University, Jinan 250102, China.
National Football Academy, Shandong Sport University, Jinan 250102, China.
Biology (Basel). 2024 Oct 2;13(10):790. doi: 10.3390/biology13100790.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique that applies a stable, low-intensity (1-2 mA) direct current to modulate neuronal activity in the cerebral cortex. This technique is effective, simple to operate, affordable, and widely employed across various fields. tDCS has been extensively used in clinical and translational research, with growing applications in military and competitive sports domains. In recent years, the use of tDCS in sports science has garnered significant attention from researchers. Numerous studies have demonstrated that tDCS can enhance muscle strength, explosive power, and aerobic metabolism, reduce fatigue, and improve cognition, thereby serving as a valuable tool for enhancing athletic performance. Additionally, recent research has shed light on the physiological mechanisms underlying tDCS, including its modulation of neuronal resting membrane potential to alter cortical excitability, enhancement of synaptic plasticity to regulate long-term potentiation, modulation of neurovascular coupling to improve regional cerebral blood flow, and improvement of cerebral network functional connectivity, which activates and reinforces specific brain regions. tDCS also enhances the release of excitatory neurotransmitters, further regulating brain function. This article, after outlining the role of tDCS in improving physical performance, delves into its mechanisms of action to provide a deeper understanding of how tDCS enhances athletic performance and offers novel approaches and perspectives for physical performance enhancement.
经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）是一种非侵入性神经调节技术，它施加稳定的低强度（1-2毫安）直流电来调节大脑皮层中的神经元活动。该技术有效、操作简单、成本低廉，并且在各个领域广泛应用。tDCS已被广泛用于临床和转化研究，在军事和竞技体育领域的应用也日益增多。近年来，tDCS在体育科学中的应用引起了研究人员的极大关注。大量研究表明，tDCS可以增强肌肉力量、爆发力和有氧代谢，减轻疲劳，并改善认知能力，从而成为提高运动成绩的宝贵工具。此外，最近的研究揭示了tDCS背后的生理机制，包括其对神经元静息膜电位的调节以改变皮层兴奋性、增强突触可塑性以调节长时程增强、调节神经血管耦合以改善局部脑血流量，以及改善脑网络功能连接性，从而激活和强化特定脑区。tDCS还能增强兴奋性神经递质的释放，进一步调节脑功能。本文在概述tDCS在提高身体机能方面的作用后，深入探讨其作用机制，以更深入地了解tDCS如何提高运动成绩，并为提高身体机能提供新的方法和视角。
