Title : A new outlook on brain injury recovery
Abstract:
In this presentation, Dr. Mohammed Elamir and Dr. Amir Hadanny will present nearly a decade of research in the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) to treat chronic symptoms related to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and concussion that can be cognitively and physically debilitating. Importantly, this presentation will highlight the gaps in today’s treatment protocols for concussions that do not consider Persistent Post-Concussive Syndrome (PPCS).
As both physicians will demonstrate, there is growing evidence related to the regenerative effects of HBOT through induction of the hyperoxic-hypoxic paradox in which repeated intermittent hyperoxia induces many cellular mechanisms that are usually induced during hypoxia, including HIF-1-alpha and VEGF. This leads to stem cell production and improvement in tissue oxygenation, producing improved mitochondrial metabolism, and anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects. This method ultimately makes HBOT promising for addressing brain injury in adults and children by inducing neuroplasticity, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis. This method has been evaluated for nearly a decade through various means of prospective, randomized, crossover-controlled clinical trials in adults, adolescents, and children and published in leading, national, peer-reviewed medical journals.
Here is a brief synopsis of the research and results to be presented and discussed.
A randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind 2022 trial included children ages 8-15 with PPCS who received 60 daily HBOT treatments. Participants were analyzed pre-and post-treatment with cognitive and neuropsychological tests, health and behavior inventories, quality of life assessments, and DTI MRI imaging.
Results: Children in the 2022 treatment group had a significant increase in cognitive function including general cognitive score (d=0.598, p=0.01), memory (d=0.480, p=0.02), and executive function (d=0.739, p=0.003), as well as improved behavioral symptoms. Outcomes were correlated with significant microstructural improvements in the insula, supramarginal, lingual, inferior frontal, and fusiform gyri.
A 2018 retrospective analysis included 154 patients suffering from chronic neurocognitive damage from TBIs. All patients within the study were treated with 40-70 daily hyperbaric sessions, five days a week. Researchers administered computerized pre- and post-HBOT cognitive evaluations and SPECT scans.
Results: significant improvement in all cognitive domains, particularly in attention and memory, with mean changes of 8.1±16.9 (p<0.00001) and 6.8±16.5 (p<0.0001). SPECT images illustrated significant improvement in the postcentral cortex, prefrontal areas, and temporal areas.
Another retrospective analysis in 2015 reviewed perfusion MRI scans and clinical cognitive scores of 10 adult post-concussion syndrome patients taken before and after an HBOT protocol of 60 daily sessions, five days per week. Patients had sustained their injuries with a mean of 10.3±3.2 years prior to treatment.
Results: brain perfusion analysis showed significantly increased cerebral blood flow and volume, suggesting that HBOT induces cerebral angiogenesis to promote brain injury healing even years after the initial injury. Subjects also experienced significant improvement in global cognitive scores (p = 0.007).
Conclusion: The overarching conclusion of these studies demonstrates that the hyperoxic-hypoxic HBOT protocol was associated with overall cognitive improvement and brain health recovery.
What will audience learn from your presentation?
- Primary learning: Attendees will be presented with an in-depth look and analysis of the regenerative and neuro-rehabilitative effects of HBOT specific to persistent post-concussive syndrome and traumatic brain injury.
- Secondarily: Attendees will learn that different levels of controlled oxygen can improve future cognitive decline related to other brain-damaging diseases such as stroke, dementia, and Alzheimer’s
Disease - Lastly, attendees will learn how innovative HBOT treatment programs are applied (and backed by clinical research) as part of a comprehensive brain health and wellness approach to treat other debilitating neurological conditions and diseases such as PTSD, long COVID, and mild cognitive impairment.
