This study aimed to investigate the anti-fatigue effect of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) on human forearm flexor finger muscle, in order to provide reference for the clinical application of HD-tDCS. In this study, 19 healthy male subjects were recruited to observe the anti-fatigue effect of HD-tDCS on the contralateral hemisphere motor cortex on the muscle of the right forearm flexor finger muscle during the fatigue induced by 35% maximal isokinetic voluntary contractions. Subjects were divided into Baseline, HD-tDCS, and Sham groups. Surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals were collected during the performance exercise task and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was asked after task. The fatigue time of forearm flexors in HD-tDCS group was significantly longer than Baseline and Sham groups (P<0.05). The level of RPE reported after exercise in Baseline and Sham groups was significantly higher than that in the HD-tDCS group (P<0.05). The sEMG level of forearm digital flexor in HD-tDCS group was lower than that in Baseline and Sham groups during isometric contraction. Applying HD-tDCS on the primary motor cortex of the contralateral hemisphere motor cortex can effectively prolong the fatigue resistance time and reduce the fatigue perception of the flexor fingers of the forearm, suggesting that HD-tDCS can improve the muscle fatigue resistance and reduce the subjective fatigue feeling to a certain extent.

high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation  /  forearm muscles  /  rating of perceived exertion  /  fatigue time