Investigating the Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Working Memory and Sports Performance of Teenage Gymnast Girls in Yazd City, Iran

Khorram , Mastooreh; Sheikh , Mahmood; Samadi, Hossein

Volume 14 - Articles-1403 MEJDS (2024) 14: 72 | Back to browse issues page

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Khorram M, Sheikh M, Samadi H. Investigating the Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Working Memory and Sports Performance of Teenage Gymnast Girls in Yazd City, Iran. MEJDS 2024; 14 :72-72
URL: http://jdisabilstud.org/article-1-3161-en.html

Investigating the Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Working Memory and Sports Performance of Teenage Gymnast Girls in Yazd City, Iran

Mastooreh Khorram¹

, Mahmood Sheikh ^*²

, Hossein Samadi³

1- PhD Student in Motor Development, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
2- Professor, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran
3- Assistant Professor, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

Abstract: (854 Views)

Abstract
Background & Objectives: Sports performance is influenced by many cognitive, psychological, and physical factors. Reaching peak performance is one of the most important goals of athletes and coaches. Many studies show that it is possible to improve the performance of athletes by enhancing the executive functions of the brain. Executive functions impact motor learning because people progress by learning better motor and cognitive skills, and faster learning leads to faster progress in performance. Professional sports are characterized by constantly developing and reaching higher skills in their sport, which can affect their neuropsychological performance. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the nervous function and the ability of the brain to achieve optimal sports performance. So, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on working memory and sports performance of teenage gymnast girls.
Methods: This study method was quasi–experimental with a pretest–posttest design and a control group. Among the 12– to 15–year–old skilled female gymnasts in Yazd Province, Iran, 24 qualified volunteers were included in the study in a simple random manner. Then, 12 were assigned to the intervention group and 12 to the control group. The inclusion criteria were as follows: the girl is a professional gymnast, aged 12 to 15 years, and lacks a chronic sports injury. The exclusion criteria included an absence of one session from tDCS and not completing the questionnaire during the study. Moreover, based on the individual report of the subject's companion and the subject herself and her medical record, it was ensured that they do not have any other convulsive and psychiatric diseases. The working memory by N–back Test (Kirchner, 1958) and sports performance by Sports Performance Questionnaire (Charbonneau et al., 2001) were assessed before and after electrical brain stimulation treatment. Data analysis was done using covariance analysis in SPSS version 17 software. The significance level of the tests was set at 0.05.
Results: The data analysis showed that the score on working memory test and sports performance among teenage gymnasts in the intervention group and after treatment increased significantly compared to the control group (p<0.001).
Conclusion: According to the findings, transcranial direct current stimulation of the brain can be used as a rehabilitation tool along with other training methods to improve athletes' working memory and sports performance.

Keywords: Transcranial direct current stimulation, Working memory, Sports performance, Adolescent gymnasts

Full-Text [PDF 244 kb] (247 Downloads)

Type of Study: Original Research Article | Subject: Rehabilitation

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