| Investigating the Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Athletes’ Concentration |
| Paper ID : 1339-SPORTCONGRESS (R1) |
| Authors |
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Ali Khalili Savadkooh *1, masomeh Ghorbany Marzoni2, mohammad Vaezamousavi3, mahdi nabavi nik4 1Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran 2Assistant Professor of Motor Behavior , Department of Sports Biomechanics and motor behavior, Faculty of Sports Science, University of Mazandaran,iran 3Professor of Sport Psychology, Department of Sport Psychology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Imam Hossein University, Tehran, Iran 4Assistant Professor of Motor Behavior, Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran. |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Concentration is one of the fundamental components of athletes’ cognitive and psychological performance, playing a decisive role in executing precise skills and making effective decisions. In recent years, non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have been introduced as innovative approaches to enhance cognitive performance and regulate neural processes. The present study aimed to examine the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on the attentional Concentration of football players. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest structure and a sham control group. Participants included 30 male football players aged 19–25 from Mazandaran Province, randomly assigned to experimental and sham groups (15 participants each). The experimental group received stimulation at an intensity of 2 mA for 20 minutes over five consecutive sessions on the primary motor cortex (M1), while the sham group received a simulated stimulation. Concentration was assessed using the Fitts task in the PEBL software, and the mean response time for correct attempts was analyzed as the performance indicator. Results: Findings showed that the mean time for correct attempts in the experimental group decreased from 2.032 seconds in the pretest to 1.662 seconds in the posttest, whereas in the sham group, the decrease was from 1.998 to 1.884 seconds and was not statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results indicate that transcranial direct current stimulation has a positive and significant effect on improving focus in football players. These findings suggest that tDCS can be considered a safe and effective method for enhancing cognitive performance and concentration in sports activities. |
| Keywords |
| Transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS), Athletes, Football, Concentration, Cognitive performance. |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
