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A new study just published on Feb 2011 in the journal of cancer makes a strong argument for applying hyperbaric oxygenation therapy (HBOT) for those patients who have had either surgery or radiation therapy for brain tumors. The study followed patients who had been treated with HBOT and there was a marked improvement in cognitive [...]

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Study–Properly Dosing HBOT for the Brain

Friday, June 18th, 2010

Effect of hyperbaric oxygen administered at different

pressures anddifferent exposure time on

differentiation of neural stem cells in vitro

There has been a lack of scientific data on the dosing of hyperbaric oxygenation therapy, particularly when it comes to treating the injured brain. There are clinics throughout North America (and the world for that matter) that differ significantly in their dosages of oxygen. This difference is mainly due to the variables of pressure and time. Some clinics provide treatments at 1.3 ATA absolute and others go right up to 2.5 ATA absolute. In addition, most centers provide 60 minute sessions, however some go as little as 30 minutes.

Recently, it has been discovered through medical research centers that HBOT helps in the differentiation of the stem cells in the brain. Researchers now for the first time looked at the amount of differentiation of these neural stem cells in relation to the dosage of oxygen provided. They concluded that the dosage of HBOT at 2.0 ATA for 60 minutes, provided the best dosage of oxygen in being able to help the brain to create these new brain cells.

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Posted in Brain & Head Injuries/Concussions/TBI, News, Stem Cells | Comments Off

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Reduces Diabetes Onset!!!

Sunday, May 30th, 2010

Under the Microscope

DRI researchers are testing the effects of hyperbaric oxygen on the recovery and regeneration of islet function

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Reduces Diabetes Onset

DRI researchers report hyperbaric oxgen therapy (HOT) prevented the onset of autoimmune diabetes in nearly 50 percent of mice involved in a recent study compared to mice not receiving HOT.

HOT has been used for decades to deliver pressurized oxygen to scuba divers who suffer complications after being underwater. It is a remarkably simple, non-invasive therapy with virtually no side-effects that is showing early signs of promise in diabetes research. In research studies conducted by DRI scientists, non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice that received hyperbaric oxygen therapy were 50 percent less likely to develop autoimmune diabetes than those without HOT. NOD mice are an ideal experimental model; they develop type 1 diabetes spontaneously and share many of the characteristics of type 1 diabetes in humans. The study data showed such potential that our researchers presented the findings to the 69th Scientific Sessions meeting in New Orleans. The characteristics of HOT make it a suitable candidate for further exploration of its possible clinical applications. Clinical trials are currently underway at the Diabetes Research Institute where patients are being given a combination of oxygen treatments along with infusions of their own bone-marrow derived stem cells. The hope is that the combined treatments will cause the pancreas to either recover or function well enough to allow patients to significantly decrease or stop their medications. Similar trials will take place in Europe, Asia and Latin America as part of the collaborative efforts of the DRI Federation

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Posted in News, Pain/Inflammation/arthritis, Stem Cells, diabetes | Comments Off

STUDY–HBOT shown to Increase NEW BRAIN CELLS (Neural Stem Cells)

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Hyperbaric oxygen induces endogenous neural stem cells to proliferate and differentiate in hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in neonatal rats.

Undersea Hyperb Med. 2008 Mar-Apr

Yang YJ, Wang XL, Yu XH, Wang X, Xie M, Liu CT.

Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Studies suggest that after brain injury, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) is neuroprotective by stimulating cell proliferation. We examine whether HBO2 promotes neural stem cells (NSC) to proliferate and differentiate in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) rats. METHODS: Seven-day-old rat pups were subjected to unilateral carotid artery ligation followed by 2 hours of hypoxia (8% O2). HBO2 was administered (2 ATA (atmospheres absolutes), once daily for 7 days) within 3 hours after HI. The proliferating neural stem cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and dentate gyrus (DG) were dynamically examined by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU)/nestin immunofluorescence. Nestin protein was detected by western blot analysis at various time points (from 6 hours to 14 days) after HI. The migrating NSC were examined by BrdU/doublecortin (DCX) immunofluorescence 7 and 14 days after HI. The phenotype of the newborn cells was identified by BrdU/beta-tubulin, BrdU/ glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and BrdU/O4 (oligodendrocyte marker) immunofluorescence. Myelin basic protein (MBP) was examined by immunohistochemistry and pathological changes of the brain tissue were detected 28 days after HI. RESULTS: In neonatal HI rats treated with HBO2, the proliferation of endogenous NSC was observed in the SVZ and DG. Cell numbers peaked 7 days after HI and proliferating NSC migrated to the cerebral cortex at 14 d after HI. Twenty-eight days after HI, an increase in newly generated neurons, oligodendrocytes and MBP was observed in the HBO2 group compared to the untreated and HI-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that HBO2 treatment may promote neurogenesis of the endogenous NSC in neonatal HI rats, contributing to repair of the injured brain.

Posted in Anti-Aging, Brain & Head Injuries/Concussions/TBI, Brain Injured Soldiers/Veterens, Drug & Alcohol Addiction, News, Stem Cells | Comments Off

STUDY–Stem Cells & Nerve Regeneration

Saturday, January 17th, 2009

Human Amniotic Fluid Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Combination with

Hyperbaric Oxygen Augment Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.

Neurochem Res. 2009 Jan 17. [Epub ahead of print] Links

Pan HC, Chin CS, Yang DY, Ho SP, Chen CJ, Hwang SM, Chang MH, Cheng FC.

Department of Neurosurgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.

Purpose Attenuation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and associated inflammatory cell deposits rescues human amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (AFS) from apoptosis. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) suppressed stimulus-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production in blood-derived monocyte-macrophages. Herein, we evaluate the beneficial effect of hyperbaric oxygen on transplanted AFS in a sciatic nerve injury model. Methods Peripheral nerve injury was produced in Sprague-Dawley rats by crushing the left sciatic nerve using a vessel clamp. The AFS were embedded in fibrin glue and delivered to the injured site. Hyperbaric oxygen (100% oxygen, 2 ATA, 60 min/day) was administered 12 h after operation for seven consecutive days. Transplanted cell apoptosis, oxidative stress, inflammatory cell deposits and associated chemokines, pro-inflammatory cytokines, motor function, and nerve regeneration were evaluated 7 and 28 days after injury. Results Crush injury induced an inflammatory response, disrupted nerve integrity, and impaired nerve function in the sciatic nerve. However, crush injury-provoked inflammatory cytokines, deposits of inflammatory cytokines, and associated macrophage migration chemokines were attenuated in groups receiving hyperbaric oxygen but not in the AFS-only group. No significant increase in oxidative stress was observed after administration of HBO. In transplanted AFS, marked apoptosis was detected and this event was reduced by HBO treatment. Increased nerve myelination and improved motor function were observed in AFS-transplant, HBO-administrated, and AFS/HBO-combined treatment groups. Significantly, the AFS/HBO combined treatment showed the most beneficial effect. Conclusion AFS in combination with HBO augment peripheral nerve regeneration, which may involve the suppression of apoptotic death in implanted AFS and the attenuation of an inflammatory response detrimental to peripheral nerve regeneration.

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Study–HBOT Causes Rise to Circulating Stem Cells, Promoting New Blood Vessels & Wound Healing

Friday, July 4th, 2008

Hyperbaric oxygen induces placental growth factor expression in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Life Sci. 2008 Jul 4

Shyu KG, Hung HF, Wang BW, Chang H.

Division of Cardiology, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.

The bone marrow is home to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that are able to differentiate into many different cell types. The effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on MSCs is poorly understood. Placental growth factor (PlGF) is an attractive therapeutic agent for stimulating revascularization of ischemic tissue. HBO has been shown to improve diabetic wound healing by increase circulating stem cells. We hypothesized that HBO induces PlGF expression in bone marrow-derived MSCs. The MSCs were obtained from adult human bone marrow and expanded in vitro. The purity and characteristics of MSCs were identified by flow cytometry and immunophenotyping. HBO at 2.5 ATA (atmosphere absolute) significantly increased PlGF protein and mRNA expression. The induction of PlGF protein by HBO was significantly blocked by the addition of N-acetylcysteine, while wortmannin, PD98059, SP600125 and SB203580 had no effect on PlGF protein expression. However, the specific inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, L-NAME did not alter the PlGF protein expression induced by HBO. HBO significantly increased the reactive oxygen species production and pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine significantly blocked the induction of reactive oxygen species by HBO. HBO significantly increased the migration and tube formation of MSCs and pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine and PlGF siRNA significantly blocked the induction of migration and tube formation by HBO. In conclusion, HBO induced the expression of PlGF in human bone marrow-derived MSCs at least through the oxidative stress-related pathways, which may play an important role in HBO-induced vasculogenesis.

Posted in Anti-Aging, Stem Cells, Wound Healing, heart Disease/ heart attack/Cardiovascular | Comments Off

Study–Confirmation of New Brain Cells from HBOT

Tuesday, October 16th, 2007

Proliferation of neural stem cells correlates with Wnt-3 protein in hypoxic-ischemic neonate rats after hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Neuroreport. 2007 Oct 29;18(16):1753-1756.

Wang XL, Yang YJ, Xie M, Yu XH, Liu CT, Wang X.

Department of Pediatrics, Xiang Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, PR China.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy promoted brain cell proliferation. Wnt-3 is closely associated with the proliferation of neural stem cells. We examined whether hyperbaric oxygen promoted neural stem cells to proliferate and its correlation with Wnt-3 protein in hypoxic-ischemic neonate rats. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was administered 3 h after hypoxia ischemia daily for 7 days. The proliferating stem cells and Wnt-3 protein were examined dynamically in the subventricular zone. Results showed that stem cells proliferated and peaked 7 days after hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Wnt-3 protein increased to the higher levels 3 days after therapy. Linear regression analysis showed that nestin protein correlated with Wnt-3 protein. We propose that hyperbaric oxygen treatment promote stem cells to proliferate, which is correlated with Wnt-3 protein.

Posted in Anti-Aging, Autism, Brain & Head Injuries/Concussions/TBI, Cerebral Palsy, News, Stem Cells, Stroke | Comments Off