Persistent postconcussion syndrome (PPCS) after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a significant public health and military problem with limited treatment evidence. This study, conducted through the Department of Medicine and Psychiatry, School of Medicine at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, aimed to determine whether forty 150 kPa hyperbaric oxygen therapies (HBOTs) can improve symptoms and cognitive function. Sixty-three civilian and military individuals with mTBI/PPCS were randomized to either 40 HBOTs at 150 kPa/60 minutes, once daily, five days per week for eight weeks, or an equivalent no-treatment control period. Participants underwent symptom, neuropsychological, and psychological testing before and after treatment. HBOT subjects experienced significant improvements in Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory, Memory Index, Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics, Hamilton Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Quality Of Life after Brain Injury compared to the Control Group.
After crossing over to HBOT, the Control Group experienced near-identical significant improvements. Both groups experienced further improvements during the 2-month follow-up period.
These data indicate that 40 HBOTs at 150 kPa/60 minutes demonstrated statistically significant improvements in postconcussion and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms, memory, cognitive functions, depression, anxiety, sleep, and quality of life in civilian and military subjects with mTBI/PPCS compared to controls.
To read more of the study, visit https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7871939/
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