Affiliations: [a] Associated Graduated Program UPE/UFPB, Pernambuco, Brazil | [b] Physical Activity and Health Promotion Laboratory, Physical Education and Sports Institute, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | [c] Associated Graduated Program in Physical Education UEM/UEL, Paraná, Brazil | [d] School of Health and Sport Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia | [e] Department of Physical Education, University of Pernambuco, Pernambuco, Brazil | [f] Research Group of Integrative Biology of Exercise, Physical Education Department, Rio Grande do Norte Federal University, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil | [g] Albert Einstein Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Raphael Mendes Ritti-Dias, Albert Einstein Hospital. Albert Einstein Avenue, 627, ZIP-code: 05652-900, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Tel.: +5519 99940 6878; E-mail:raphaelritti@gmail.com
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) seems to
modulate cardiac autonomic function and blood pressure (BP) at rest and
during exercise. Therefore, it is possible that anodal tDCS could influence
post-exercise hypotension. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether anodal tDCS applied over the
motor cortex would affect cardiac autonomic modulation and BP after
resistance exercise. METHODS: Twelve apparently healthy young men performed two
experimental sessions: anodal tDCS or sham condition followed by resistance
exercise. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), rate-pressure product (RPP),
and HR variability (HRV) were obtained before and during post-exercise
recovery (at 20 and 60 minutes). RESULTS: Compared to pre-exercise, systolic BP decreased at 20 and
at 60 minutes of post-exercise recovery only in anodal tDCS condition
(p = 0.03), with no statistical differences in sham condition (p > 0.05).
Diastolic and mean BP reduced after both anodal tDCS and sham conditions
with no differences between them (P> 0.05). In comparison with anodal tDCS,
there were slower HR recovery (tDCS vs. sham: -2 ± 14 vs. 14 ± 8 bpm) and
higher RPP (tDCS vs. sham: -1083 ± 1846 vs. 1672 ± 1275 mmHg × bpm) after
exercise following sham condition (P< 0.01). No differences were found in
any of the HRV analyzed parameters (P> 0.05). CONCLUSION: A single session of primary motor cortex tDCS is
capable of decreasing the systolic BP and HR responses, as well as the
cardiac work after a resistance exercise session in young normotensive
subjects regardless of any changes in cardiac autonomic modulation.
Keywords: Post-exercise hypotension, tDCS, motor cortex, resistance exercise
