Effect of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) on Response Inhibition and Sustained Attention in Athletes with ADHD

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of motor behavior and sport psychology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

2 Department and Sport Psychology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Arak University, Arak, Iran

3 Department of psychology, University of Tehran, Tehran Iran

4 Department of Motor Behavior and Sports Psychology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) on Response Inhibition and sustained attention in athletes with ADHD.
Methods: In this study, 120 children athletes with ADHD aged between 9 and 11 years were randomly selected from a pool of 300 participants. They were then divided into three groups of 40 participants each: Sham, control, and tACS. Participants in the sham and tACS groups received simultaneous anodal stimulation in the F3 and F4, and cathodal stimulation in the FP2, with a current of 1mA (10Hz) for 15 minutes over 10 sessions. Each group was then re-examined, and a follow-up test was conducted after two weeks. Post-test data were analyzed using the continuous performance test (CPT) and analysis of variance with repeated measures, with Bonferroni's post hoc test used to investigate the hypotheses (P≥0.05).
Results: The results of repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni's post hoc test showed that tACS had a significant effect on response inhibition (P=0.0001) and sustained attention (P=0.0001) in children athletes with ADHD.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that applying tACS with a current of 1mA can improve response inhibition and sustained attention in children athletes with ADHD. Therefore, this method can be used as a complementary or independent treatment for these athletes.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Sports Psychology
Volume 17, Issue 1
2025
Pages 65-81

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History

  • Receive Date: 14 January 2023
  • Revise Date: 13 February 2023
  • Accept Date: 26 February 2023

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