HBOT in the longer term
An American study, conducted by two universities in partnership with a hyperbaric oxygen centre, looked into the effects of HBOT on cognitive and behavioural outcomes in children and adults experiencing the long-term (chronic) effects of brain injury.
Two trials were conducted with experimental and control groups in each - one measuring the effects of HBOT on children, and one on adults. All participants had been experiencing the effects of brain injury for at least two years.
At the start of the trial participants undertook a number of psychological tests, measuring their cognitive abilities in areas such as language skills and memory. Some participants then received hyperbaric oxygen treatment and were tested again four to eight weeks later, depending on the length of their treatment. The control group did not receive HBOT, although some did continue to receive traditional rehabilitation treatment during the trial.
In both the child and adult studies, the results showed a statistically significant improvement in cognitive performance across nearly all measures in people who received HBOT, compared to the control groups.
While the findings of this small study are not definitive and the authors acknowledge a number of limitations, the positive results support further research into HBOT as a supportive therapy for people with a brain injury.
Reference
Olden Z, Golden C, Neubauer R. Improving neuropsychological function after chronic brain injury with hyperbaric oxygen. Disability
& Rehabilitation [serial online]. November 30, 2006; 28(22):1379-1386. Available from: SPORTDiscus with Full Text, Ipswich, MA. Accessed August 2, 2013.
