The effect of virtual reality games with and without transcranial direct current stimulation on the cognitive function of sedentary adolescent girls

Document Type : Original research

Authors

1 PhD Student in Motor Behavior, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

2 Assistant professor of motor behavior at Razi University, Faculty of Sport Sciences

3 Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport physiology, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

4 Full Professor of Sports Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil

Abstract
The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of virtual reality games with and without unilateral transcranial direct current anodal stimulation on the cognitive function of sedentary adolescent girls.Therefore, 36 adolescent girls were purposefully selected based on the entry criteria. Then, equal numbers were placed in three control groups, virtual reality + anodal stimulation and virtual reality + sham stimulation. The intervention was implemented for 12 sessions (3 sessions per week). First, sham or anodal stimulation was applied simultaneously on DLPFC and M1 for 20 minutes with a current intensity of 2 mA. Then virtual reality exercises were performed for 1 hour. The control group did not receive any intervention. N-back tests, reaction time software and cognitive flexibility questionnaire were used to evaluate cognitive performance. The statistical test of the analysis Mixed ANOVA was used at the significance level of 0.05 and SPSS23 software. The results showed that the cognitive performance in the anodal stimulation group was superior to the other two groups in the post-test and retention phase (p=0.05). In fact, virtual reality with unihemispheric anodal stimulation has more and more lasting effects on the cognitive function of sedentary adolescent girls.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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Sport Psychology Studies
Volume 12, Issue 46
January 2023
Pages 107-128

  • Receive Date 28 August 2023
  • Revise Date 31 December 2023
  • Accept Date 30 January 2024