Twenty firefighters with mTBI and mild emotional distress were treated with HBO at a relatively low pressure of 1.3 atmospheres absolute for 45 min a day for 20 consecutive day. The goal of the study was to evaluate the subsequent changes in the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of the limbic system in these firefighters. The results showed an increase in rCBF in the hippocampal and parahippocampal regions of the brain. This may explain the recent evidence that suggests the ability for HBOT to help neural activities in the human brain and subsequently improve symptoms of psychiatric disorders <view study> Read Less

The benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for dramatic brain injury (TBI) has been confirmed by many studies. Now the question is “what is the best dose (ie, pressure protocol) to achieve the optimal benefits. As new research becomes available, it appears that the lower the pressure, the stronger the benefits. This study confirms the recent data, by showing that 1.6 ATA hyperbaric intervention was superior to 2.2ATA for neurological impairment and the restoration of symptoms following TBI. Researchers in this study suggested that “for the first time that 1.6 ATA HBO has an important protective role in inhibiting both the cytotoxic and the pro-inflammatory actions of histones in the early stage of secondary brain injury”. <view study> Read Less

This study found that hyperbaric oxygen treatment has a protective effect on early cognitive function, especially memory in rats with mild cognitive impairment <view study> Read Less

The majority of MS patients using hyperbaric oxygen do so at 1.5 ATA for 60 minutes. A laboratory-based replication of this treatment regimen (and the common MS protocols) gives a better understanding of the physiological effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on brain cells and their role in neuro-inflammation. <view study> Read Less

A total of 53 patients (42 with Alzheimers disease and 11 mild cognitive impairment) were treated with a 20 day course of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Each hyperbaric session consisted of 3 sequential parts; first, 20 minutes of oxygen breathing, followed by 15 minutes of breathing air, and finally 20 minutes of breathing oxygen under pressure at 1.2 ATA. Results — One course (20 sessions) of hyperbaric oxygen therapy significantly improved cognition in both Alzheimer patients and patient with Mild Cognitive impairment, with the latter having more long term benefits (> 1 month). These results are very promising for Alzheimer patients, and suggest that it is possible that multiple courses might be the solution for giving significantly longer benefits to AD patients. More research is still needed <view study> Read Less