An up-and-coming therapy for long-term stroke recovery that has shown promise in clinical research is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). HBOT has clear indications of neuronal rehabilitation in patients suffering from post-stroke disabilities.
HBOT and its apparent benefits for post-stroke patients were studied and reviewed in an article published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One:
- The participants were exposed to a unique HBOT protocol, including daily sessions over two months. All the patients showed improved neurological functioning, indicating “that HBOT can lead to significant neurological improvements in post-stroke patients even at chronic late stages.”
- Noticeable recovery included “regained speech (almost fluent) and reading capabilities.” Even in patients with less dramatic results, everyday tasks like bathing and dressing became possible unaided by the end of the treatment period.
- Patients were further assessed using brain metabolism imaging (SPECT scans) to examine brain activity during the HBOT treatment. “The SPECT after HBOT demonstrated the disappearance of the perfusion lesions.”
- The study indicated a link between oxygen and stroke: “Increasing the plasma oxygen concentration with hyperbaric oxygenation is a potent means of delivering to the brain sufficient oxygen for tissue repair.”
Not only did the study determine significant improvements in patients treated with HBOT, it also crucially found that the progression occurred in patients even years after the stroke event.
The study’s objective was to “evaluate the effects of HBOT started in the late-chronic phase after the acute stroke.” All the patients experienced strokes between six and 36 months prior to the HBOT treatment.