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Int J Sports Med
DOI: 10.1055/a-2747-9357
Training & Testing

Effects of Transcranial Stimulation on Resistance Exercise in Mentally Fatigued Subjects

Authors

  • Luiz José Frota Solon-Júnior

    1   Associate Graduate Program of Physical Education, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, Brazil
    2   Department of Physical Education, Regional University of Cariri, Crato, Brazil
    8   Graduate Program of Physical Education, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil

  • Dalton de Lima-Junior

    3   Department for Life Quality Studies, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy (Ringgold ID: RIN9296)

  • Bart Roelands

    4   Human Physiology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium (Ringgold ID: RIN70493)

  • Daniel Boullosa

    6   Integrated Institute of Health, FederalUniversity of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
    7   College of Healthcare Sciences, James CookUniversity, Townsville, Australia
    8   Graduate Program of Physical Education, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil

  • Maria Elisa Caputo Ferreira

    8   Graduate Program of Physical Education, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Brazil

  • Leonardo De Sousa Fortes 

    9   Department of Sports, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Abstract

The objective was to analyze the effect of anodic transcranial direct current stimulation over the the primary motor cortex (M1) on resistance exercise in mentally fatigued individuals. Thirty-five participants performed a Stroop task to induce mental fatigue until they reached 50 mm on the visual analogue scale under three different conditions in a randomized, double-blind, crossover experimental trial. The participants completed a resistance training session with six sets for muscle failure with fixed load (Vload=1 ms-1) after the Stroop task. During the resistance training session, performance parameters as the maximum number of repetitions, power output, and bar velocity were recorded with a linear encoder. Muscle activation (surface electromyography) and the rating of perceived exertion were also measured throughout the resistance training session. The maximum number of repetitions, mean power output, and mean velocity were higher under the anodic transcranial direct current stimulation condition when compared to the sham and control conditions (p<0.05). Meanwhile, the relative surface electromyographic activity of the vastus lateralis, and the rating of perceived exertion per set were lower under the anodic transcranial direct current stimulation condition when compared to sham and control conditions (p<0.05). This study suggest that anodic transcranial direct current stimulation-induced arousal over the left-M1 brain area thus improving the resistance exercise performances while reducing vastus lateralis surface electromyographic activity and rating of perceived exertion in mentally fatigued subjects.

Keywords

Mental fatigue - transcranial direct current stimulation - neuroscience - resistance exercise


Publication History

Received: 02 July 2025

Accepted after revision: 13 November 2025

Accepted Manuscript online:
13 November 2025

Article published online:
10 December 2025

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