Neuroprotective effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in a juvenile rat model of repetitive mild traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) is an important medical concern for adolescent athletes that can lead to long-term disabilities. Multiple mild injuries may exacerbate tissue damage resulting in cumulative brain injury and poor functional recovery. In the present study, we investigated the increased brain vulnerability to rmTBI and the effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment using a juvenile rat model of rmTBI. Two episodes of mild cortical controlled impact (3 days apart) were induced in juvenile rats. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) was applied 1 hour/day × 3 days at 2 atmosphere absolute consecutively, starting at 1 day after initial mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Neuropathology was assessed by multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and tissue immunohistochemistry. After repetitive mTBI, there were increases in T2-weighted imaging-defined cortical lesions and susceptibility weighted imaging-defined cortical microhemorrhages, correlated with brain tissue gliosis at the site of impact. HBO treatment significantly decreased the MRI-identified abnormalities and tissue histopathology. Our findings suggest that HBO treatment improves the cumulative tissue damage in juvenile brain following rmTBI. Such therapy regimens could be considered in adolescent athletes at the risk of repeated concussions exposures.

Hyperbaric oxygenation and glucose/amino acids substitution in human severe placental insufficiency

“…Huang et al. () who applied HBO 1 h/day × 3 days at 2 ATA were able to demonstrate in a rat model that HBO significantly decreased MRI‐identified abnormalities and tissue histopathology after repetitive mild traumatic brain injury. Yu et al.…”

The arousal effect of hyperbaric oxygen through orexin/hypocretin an upregulation on ketamine/ethanol‐induced unconsciousness in male rats

“…HBO, administering pure oxygen at a pressure greater than that of atmosphere, was demonstrated to improve neurological outcomes in the setting of brain injury via the mechanisms of cellular metabolism benefit, anti‐inflammation, anti‐apoptosis, and blood–brain barrier (BBB) preservation (Buckley, Juurlink, Isbister, Bennett, & Lavonas, ; Cossu, ; Hu, Feng, & Xi, ; Huang, Boling, & Zhang, ; Huang & Obenaus, ; Huang, Obenaus, Hamer, & Zhang, ; Ostrowski, Stepien, Pucko, & Matyja, ). Although HBO has been applied as one of the arousal procedures in patients with prolonged coma (Jiang et al, ), few study investigated the direct arousal effect of HBO and the potential underlying mechanism.…”

Neurometabolic indicators of mitochondrial dysfunction in repetitive mild traumatic brain injury

“…There has also been emerging research on the different types of therapy for patients post TBI. Examples include hyperbaric oxygen therapy, hypothermia therapy and transcranial light therapy [ 90–94 ]. Specifically for rmTBI, Huang and colleagues found that rats subjected to rmTBI (two injuries with a 3-day interinjury interval) treated with daily hyperbaric oxygen therapy during the interinjury period had reduced histopathological gliosis and pathological MRI finding associated with the second injury [ 90 ].…”

“…Examples include hyperbaric oxygen therapy, hypothermia therapy and transcranial light therapy [ 90–94 ]. Specifically for rmTBI, Huang and colleagues found that rats subjected to rmTBI (two injuries with a 3-day interinjury interval) treated with daily hyperbaric oxygen therapy during the interinjury period had reduced histopathological gliosis and pathological MRI finding associated with the second injury [ 90 ]. Further, rats exposed to rmTBI (two injuries) that were treated with 1-h of hypothermia an hour after the second injury had axons with decreased APP density compared with the untreated group [ 93 ].…”