[Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation in children and adolescents].

AIMS

To gather the knowledge that currently exist on transcranial magnetic stimulation applied in children and adolescents, as well as its possible future therapeutic applications in disorders that have so far shown more chances of being effective.

DEVELOPMENT

First, we provide a general review of the history of the technique, from its early days until the present day, and we also highlight the studies in the literature that refer to the harmlessness of the technique by referring to histological studies where no pathological changes were found. We then focus on the repeated mode, which is the technique that is most widely used for therapeutic purposes, both in adults and in children and adolescents, despite the fact that its frequency of use is clearly lower than that of other modes. We centre our attention on the disorders in which the technique has been applied, the ones that to date have been most successful (therapeutically speaking), the subjective experiences of the patients themselves and the side effects that they have suffered.

CONCLUSIONS

Further studies need to be conducted on the use of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat different neurological and psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents, especially in diseases like depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.