This is preclinical (animal-model) research, and we flag that clearly: it provides mechanistic support for the cognitive-aging picture, but does not by itself say anything definitive about people with Alzheimer’s disease.
What the study looked at
Old triple-transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice and non-transgenic controls were exposed to HBOT, followed by behavioral, histological, and biochemical analyses of brain tissue.
What it found
The authors reported that HBOT attenuated neuroinflammatory processes — reducing astrogliosis, microgliosis, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNFα) — and was associated with reduced amyloid pathology and improved behavior in the model.
How strong is the evidence?
Preclinical mouse-model evidence only. It is mechanistically supportive and helps motivate human trials, but it is several steps removed from clinical proof in Alzheimer’s patients.
Related on Saturate
See our evidence overview of HBOT and cognitive performance.
Source
Shapira R, et al. (2018). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy ameliorates pathophysiology of 3xTg-AD mouse model by attenuating neuroinflammation. Neurobiology of Aging. doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.10.007 · PubMed
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