Dimentia and the Human Brain

Dementia is the clinical manifestation of cognitive decline.  The causes of dementia are numerous, and they include:

·       Alzheimer's Dementia 

·       Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia 

·       Alcohol-Related Dementia 

·       Vascular Dementia 

·       Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Dementia 

·       Pseudodementia 

Regardless of the cause of dementia, the neurons (which transmit signals) and glial cells (which support and protect neurons) are damaged in some way. Injured or sick cells, like a sick individual, can be aided by energy: just as in giving an ill individual warmth, or energy, in the form of hearty soup or a cozy fire.  So how can we get warmth, or energy, to injured brain cells?

In humans, biological energy//cellular energy is produced through the production of the molecule ATP, (adenosine triphosphate).  The mitochondrion of every healthy cell produces ATP through the process called the electron transport chain.  I like to picture this electron transport chain as a campfire. Both require fuel, a catalyst, and oxygen in order to create energy. Our metaphorical fire uses wood as its fuel; a match as its catalyst; and oxygen from our earth’s atmosphere. The cell primarily uses sugars extracted from our diets as fuel and Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is the closest thing we have to “a match”. Oxygen is the key in both scenarios: without oxygen our crude pile of sticks (+ one match) is cold; likewise, without oxygen in our blood, we cannot produce enough ATP to survive.

This is where hyperbaric oxygen therapy comes into play. By allowing great amounts of oxygen into the mitochondria of every cell you are producing much needed energy to bring the cell back to functionality. It is a form of resuscitation, bringing the cell back to “life” with the life healing oxygen from hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

How much oxygen from Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is required to get results?

In June 2020, a study published in Translational Research and Clinical Intervention Volume 6, Issue 1 examined 42 Alzheimer's patients, alongside 11 patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment, and 30 control subjects. The researchers conducted neuropsychiatric assessments using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) evaluation before treatment, and then again at 1- and 3-months post-treatment. The treatment involved 40 minutes of daily hyperbaric oxygen therapy over a period of 20 days. Following this regimen, the researchers repeated the neuropsychiatric assessments and observed significant improvement in the treatment group compared to the non-treatment group, illustrating the substantial effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in treating Alzheimer's disease and amnesic mild cognitive impairment.

By delivering increased levels of oxygen to the mitochondria, HBOT supports the restoration of energy production in damaged neurons, potentially reversing some of the cellular dysfunction associated with cognitive decline. With growing evidence from studies demonstrating significant improvements in cognitive assessments, hyperbaric oxygen therapy stands as a valuable tool in the ongoing pursuit of effective dementia treatments. So in treating all forms of dementia, you cannot go wrong with the enhancement therapy of oxygen through hyperbaric means.