Elite sport is a constant search for a competitive advantage. Even athletes who stay on the right side of the law take a cocktail of vitamins and supplements, and use cryotherapy chambers and oxygen tents. Now, coaches and teams on the hunt for the next edge are turning to the brain. "Neural doping" could be sport’s new revolution, or its next big scandal.

From brain-zapping headsets to subliminal messaging, neuroscientists are developing new tools and techniques that take advantage of what they’ve learnt about the athletic brain. Some are already being used, while others could potentially end up on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list, alongside anabolic steroids and EPO.

Endurance is just one example of neuroscience breaking boundaries. Fatigue doesn’t come from the body, it comes from the brain. It steps in to stop us from over-exerting ourselves, so even when we feel like we’re exhausted, there’s actually still some energy left in the muscles. This is why runners can often put in some of their best laps of a race (a so-called end spurt) as they near the finishing line. The brain knows the end is in sight so it takes its foot off the brake.