Oxygen therapy reveals new potential for treating brain injuries

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) could hold hitherto unrealised potential in treating brain damage following strokes, traumatic injuries and metabolic disorders, according to a new study.

Scientists at Tel Aviv University have found that sessions in high-pressure chambers that contain oxygen-rich air can stimulate significantly increased neuronal activity among post-stroke patients after a two-month period.

Subjects experienced improvements such as a reversal of paralysis, increased sensation and renewed use of language, even in cases when the brain damage occurred years earlier.

This is a potentially revolutionary study, as it shows that many aspects of the brain remain malleable into adulthood, meaning neuroplasticity can be activated for months and years after an acute brain injury.

Dr Shai Efrati of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine added: "Many brain disorders are related to inefficient energy supply to the brain. HBOT treatment could right such metabolic abnormalities before the onset of full dementia, where there is still potential for recovery."

The brain damage caused by strokes means they are the leading cause of adult disability in the UK, with more than 150,000 people in England suffering a stroke each year.