Wu Qingchang, Wu Changli, Liu Jian
College of Physical Education, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Hubei International Travel Health Care Center (Outpatient Department of Wuhan Customs Port), Wuhan, China.
Front Psychol. 2024 Nov 15;15:1405636. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1405636. eCollection 2024.
Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation that stimulates the cerebral cortex through the output current to regulate neural excitability. This review systematically summarizes the research results of tACS on working memory, learning ability, and decision-making ability, and analyzes the application schemes, safety, and unresolved issues of tACS in the field of cognitive function to provide a theoretical reference for the application of tACS in the field of cognition. Research has found that: (1) tACS intervention can improve the working memory, learning ability, and exercise decision-making ability of athletes and healthy individuals and has a positive effect on improving exercise performance. (2) The factors that determine the effectiveness of tACS intervention include stimulation frequency, stimulation phase, stimulation area, and stimulation dose. The stimulation area and frequency determine which cognitive function tACS affects, whereas the stimulation phase and dose determine the magnitude of the intervention effect. Moreover, before practical application, individual cognitive status, age level, and timing of application should be included in the factors that affect the effectiveness of tACS intervention to develop more scientific intervention plans. (3) Despite the absence of evidence indicating significant safety issues associated with the use of tACS, its widespread adoption among athletes still poses safety risks under the World Anti-Doping Code. In competitive sports, whether the use of tACS will be classified as a "neuro-doping" method leading to disqualification remains uncertain. Therefore, authoritative institutions to provide comprehensive guidelines on the application of tACS, clearly delineating its usage scenarios and defining the safety parameters for tACS stimulation. Additionally, the development of detection devices for tACS usage is essential to ensure that any intervention using tACS can be monitored effectively.
经颅交流电刺激（tACS）是一种非侵入性脑刺激技术，通过输出电流刺激大脑皮层以调节神经兴奋性。本综述系统总结了tACS在工作记忆、学习能力和决策能力方面的研究成果，并分析了tACS在认知功能领域的应用方案、安全性及未解决的问题，以为tACS在认知领域的应用提供理论参考。研究发现：（1）tACS干预可提高运动员和健康个体的工作记忆、学习能力及运动决策能力，对提高运动表现有积极作用。（2）决定tACS干预效果的因素包括刺激频率、刺激相位、刺激区域和刺激剂量。刺激区域和频率决定tACS影响哪种认知功能，而刺激相位和剂量决定干预效果的大小。此外，在实际应用前，个体认知状态、年龄水平和应用时机应纳入影响tACS干预效果的因素中，以制定更科学的干预方案。（3）尽管尚无证据表明使用tACS存在重大安全问题，但根据世界反兴奋剂条例，其在运动员中的广泛使用仍存在安全风险。在竞技体育中，使用tACS是否会被归类为导致取消资格的“神经兴奋剂”方法仍不确定。因此，权威机构应提供关于tACS应用的全面指南，明确界定其使用场景并确定tACS刺激的安全参数。此外，开发tACS使用检测设备对于确保能有效监测任何使用tACS的干预措施至关重要。
