Anatomical and metabolic brain imaging correlation of neurological improvements following hyperbaric oxygen therapy—post-stroke recovery: a case report

 

I don't necessarily trust this since it involves Shai Efrati. Shai Efrati has a bias, he is the director of the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research at the Yitzhak Shamir Medical Center in Israel. Since this is available in few places and is expensive, I have no desire to try this.

Here are 42 posts on HBOT for your edification

Hard HBOT in a hyperbaric clinic typically costs $250 per session, or $10,000 for 40 sessions. Thus, the standard HBOT protocol costs $20,000 for 80 sessions.

And you don't want to smoke in one of these. Google this for risks: hyperbaric oxygen therapy deaths.

Enormous Inferno Kills Man Who Tried Smoking a Cigarette in a Hyperbaric Chamber

I'd be concerned about this research:

Too Liberal Use of Oxygen Increases Risk of Death in Acutely Ill Adult Patients

Shai Efrati is a physician from Israel and an associate professor at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Sagol School of Neuroscience at Tel Aviv University as well as director of the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research at the Yitzhak Shamir Medical Center in Israel.

The latest here: 

Anatomical and metabolic brain imaging correlation of neurological improvements following hyperbaric oxygen therapy—post-stroke recovery: a case report

• Sherif Khairy, 
• Mouzayan Ginzarly, 
• Zemer Wang, 
• Umair Qureshi, 
• Raghda Zaitoun & 
• Shai Efrati 

Journal of Medical Case Reports volume 19, Article number: 493 (2025) Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Stroke remains a leading cause of long-term disability, with limited recovery potential during the chronic phase. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has shown promise in promoting neuroplasticity and functional recovery through mechanisms such as the hyperoxic-hypoxic paradox.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 45-year-old Arabic male who experienced a left-sided hemorrhagic stroke and presented with persistent neurological deficits 15 months post-event. He exhibited right hemiparesis, impaired gait requiring a wheelchair, and cognitive dysfunction. The patient underwent 83 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy over 16 weeks (2.0 ATA, 90 minutes with air breaks). Pre- and postintervention assessments included neurological and cognitive evaluations alongside advanced imaging: diffusion tensor imaging and Single photon emission computed tomography. Clinically, the patient showed marked improvements in muscle strength, spasticity, balance, and walking—progressing from wheelchair dependence to ambulation with a quadruped cane. Cognitive testing demonstrated improved attention, verbal memory, and processing speed. Imaging findings supported these changes: diffusion tensor imaging showed increased fractional anisotropy in major white matter tracts, and single photon emission computed tomography demonstrated significant perfusion increases in the right motor cortex (+ 15.83%) and right frontal lobe (+ 15.92%).

Conclusion

This case highlights hyperbaric oxygen therapy’s potential to facilitate recovery in chronic post-stroke stages by enhancing neuroplasticity and neurovascular function in nonnecrotic brain regions. Advanced imaging techniques, such as diffusion tensor imaging and single photon emission computed tomography, provide valuable insights into treatment efficacy and may support personalized therapeutic protocols in the future.