Cortisol e ocitocina como mediadores hormonais na massoterapia: um protocolo de revisão sistemática e metanálise

Abstract

Massage therapy is the manual manipulation of the body's soft tissues for therapeutic, preventive or relaxing purposes. During the practice, various neuroendocrine processes are triggered. Stimulation of the skin's sensory receptors sends signals to areas of the brain that process exposed sensations and emotions, raising oxytocin levels, promoting well- being, while reducing cortisol levels, resulting in stress reduction. These hormonal changes suggest that massage therapy induces relaxation and improves well-being and quality of life. Thus, the present study aims to present a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol in order to identify in the literature the effects of massage therapy on the hormones cortisol and oxytocin in healthy adults. Methodology: The study follows the guidelines of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and is registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO: CRD42024605796). The eligibility criteria were defined based on the PICOS strategy (Participants, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study Type). The databases used will be: PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library and Web of Science. Two independent reviewers will carry out the selection of articles, with a third reviewer to resolve disagreements. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane RoB-2 tools for randomized studies and ROBINS-I for non-randomized studies. Discussion: This systematic review protocol highlights the need for more research into the impact of massage therapy in healthy individuals. It also explores sex differences in response to massage, given the distinct role of hormonal modulation in men and women. In addition, it addresses methodological variations in existing studies, such as heterogeneity in the application of techniques and evaluation criteria, which make consistent comparisons difficult. Conclusion: This study seeks to broaden understanding of the hormonal effects of massage therapy, highlighting the relevance of cortisol and oxytocin in reducing stress and promoting well-being. The results will provide a solid basis for future research and strengthen massage therapy as an effective intervention for health and well-being.