Effort perception and endurance running performance following prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS): a randomized crossover-controlled trial.
Martens G, Hody S, Bornheim S, Angius L, Beaumont L, Kaux JF et al. · Neuroscience · 2026
The ergogenic potential of stimulating the prefrontal cortex with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for running endurance remains unclear. This randomized, sham-controlled crossover trial evaluated the effects of bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) tDCS on running time to exhaustion (TTE) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) in endurance-trained men. Fifty-three participants (age: 22 ± 2 years; maximal oxygen consumption: 50.3 ± 6.4 mL/min/kg) completed two stimulation sessions in randomized order, separated by one week: 20 min of active or sham multichannel tDCS (2 anodes, 6 return electrodes) targeting the DLPFC bilaterally. Each session was followed by a treadmill constant-load test at 90% of maximal aerobic speed until exhaustion, with oxygen consumption (VO 2 ), heart rate (HR), blood lactate, and RPE monitored throughout. TTE did not differ between active and sham stimulation. Likewise, RPE, VO 2 , HR, and blood lactate were comparable between conditions. Including an additional no-tDCS control session in 40 participants did not alter these
Results: . A single session of bilateral DLPFC tDCS did not influence perceived exertion or endurance performance in endurance-trained men. These
Findings: underscore the need for large multi-session trials incorporating both physiological and perceptual outcomes to clarify the ergogenic potential of prefrontal stimulation in endurance-trained athletes.