The Use of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis, Depression, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Autism

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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, with minimal adverse effects and few contraindications. The procedure has been used in the therapeutic arsenal of patients with depression, showing therapeutic benefits proven in research around the world. TMS is a technique already widely used in the treatment of mood disorders depression bipolar disorder and autism. This bibliographic summary aims to verify the combined repetitive TMS and gut microbiota modulation through the gut-brain axis. The research approach will involve the identification, selection and critical analysis of relevant studies. The aim is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the current evidence base and to identify gaps in the existing literature that can be explored in future research. The sampling process will begin with the identification of relevant keywords and search terms related to the use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Some examples may include “autism”, “depression”, “disorders”, “gut”, “nervous system” among others. These keywords will be used to conduct a comprehensive search in academic databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, CAPES journals and other relevant databases. The data collection will be carried out by accessing the full texts of the studies selected for review. Relevant information such as study objectives, methodology used, population studied, interventions performed, outcome measures and authors’ conclusions will be extracted. The data will be analyzed using a thematic approach, which consists of identifying and categorizing the main emerging themes in the reviewed literature. In other words, this approach involves identifying recurring patterns or topics within the texts studied. After identifying these themes, they will be organized and discussed in relation to existing research and relevant theories. The objective is to provide a detailed and critical review of the literature on TMS, contextualizing the findings within the current panorama of knowledge in the area. Fifty-six articles were selected, including national and international texts, published between 1980 and 2024.