Chmiel James, Buryta Rafał
Faculty of Physical Culture and Health, Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, University of Szczecin, Al. Piastów 40B blok 6, 71-065 Szczecin, Poland.
J Clin Med. 2025 May 12;14(10):3354. doi: 10.3390/jcm14103354.
: Basketball performance requires not only intermittent high-intensity movements-such as sprinting, jumping, and rapid directional changes-but also rapid decision-making under cognitive and psychological stress. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as a potential modality to enhance both physical and mental performance due to its capacity to modulate cortical excitability and promote synaptic plasticity. Although the broader literature suggests that tDCS can benefit motor performance and endurance across various sports, its specific impact on basketball remains underexplored. : This scoping review aimed to summarize current evidence on the effects of tDCS in basketball. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across databases including PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, and Cochrane, identifying studies published between January 2008 and February 2025. Only clinical trials investigating tDCS interventions in basketball players were included. Eleven articles met the inclusion criteria and were synthesized narratively, with a focus on stimulation parameters (site, duration, intensity) and performance outcomes (shooting accuracy, dribbling, sprinting, decision-making, fatigue). : The reviewed studies indicated that tDCS-particularly when applied over the motor cortex-was associated with moderate improvements in shooting accuracy, dribbling time, repeated-sprint performance, and decision-making under fatigue. Some studies reported delayed rather than immediate benefits, suggesting that tDCS may prime neural networks for enhanced learning and retention. However, not all findings were consistent; certain interventions produced minimal or no significant effects, especially regarding subjective mental fatigue and cognitive workload. The variability in electrode placements and stimulation protocols highlights the need for methodological standardization. : Current evidence partially supports the potential of tDCS to improve specific performance domains in basketball, particularly in skill acquisition, neuromuscular efficiency, and decision-making. Nevertheless, the findings are limited by small sample sizes, heterogeneous protocols, and a lack of long-term follow-up. Future research should prioritize larger, multisite studies with standardized tDCS parameters and ecologically valid outcome measures to confirm the efficacy and practical relevance of tDCS in competitive basketball settings.
篮球运动表现不仅需要间歇性的高强度动作，如冲刺、跳跃和快速的方向改变，还需要在认知和心理压力下快速做出决策。经颅直流电刺激（tDCS）已成为一种潜在的方式，因其能够调节皮层兴奋性并促进突触可塑性，从而提高身体和心理表现。尽管更广泛的文献表明tDCS可以有益于各种运动的运动表现和耐力，但其对篮球的具体影响仍未得到充分探索。
本范围综述旨在总结当前关于tDCS对篮球影响的证据。通过在包括PubMed/Medline、谷歌学术和Cochrane在内的数据库中进行全面的文献检索，确定了2008年1月至2025年2月期间发表的研究。仅纳入调查tDCS对篮球运动员干预的临床试验。11篇文章符合纳入标准，并进行了叙述性综合分析，重点关注刺激参数（部位、持续时间、强度）和表现结果（投篮准确性、运球、冲刺、决策、疲劳）。
综述研究表明，tDCS，特别是应用于运动皮层时，与投篮准确性、运球时间、重复冲刺表现以及疲劳状态下的决策能力的适度改善相关。一些研究报告了延迟而非即时的益处，这表明tDCS可能为增强学习和记忆而优化神经网络。然而，并非所有结果都一致；某些干预产生的效果最小或无显著影响，特别是在主观心理疲劳和认知工作量方面。电极放置和刺激方案的可变性凸显了方法标准化的必要性。
当前证据部分支持tDCS改善篮球特定表现领域的潜力，特别是在技能习得、神经肌肉效率和决策方面。然而，研究结果受到样本量小、方案异质性以及缺乏长期随访的限制。未来的研究应优先进行更大规模、多地点的研究，采用标准化的tDCS参数和生态有效度的结果测量方法，以确认tDCS在竞技篮球环境中的疗效和实际相关性。
