Purpose: To determine the effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) on Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast-Enhanced (DSC) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) MR sequences and memory function in the elderly.
Materials and methods: 15 elderly subjects above the age of 65 underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and dynamic contrast enhancement (DSC) of the brain in three time points: twice before (baseline) and once following HBOT as well as neurobehavioral tests. Preprocessing included motion correction. Calculation of DSC maps was performed using WiseImage software written in Matlab. Calculation of DTI maps was performed using Explore-DTI software. Paired t-test was performed using voxel based analysis. Cognitive evaluation was performed by objective computerized battery (NeuroTrax).
Results: Statistical analysis revealed an increase in FA following HBOT in the white matter adjacent to the hippocampus, however no change was found in this regions between the two baseline scans. Average FA increased from 0.32 in the baseline scans, to 0.34 post-HBOT (p = 0.0093). Additionally, average CBF in the hippocampus increased from 38.3 ml/min/100gr to 55.7 ml/min/100gr, and average CBV in the hippocampus increased from 4.5% to 5.8%. . HBOT induced a significant increase in memory cognitive score (p=0.02).
Conclusions: HBOT may induce memory function increase in the elderly. The clinical improvement correlated with improvement in microstructural integrity of the brain, as well as with increase in cerebral blood flow and blood volume, reflecting the occurrence of neuroplasticity and angiogenesis respectively.
