Repetitive long-term hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) administered after experimental traumatic brain injury in rats induces significant remyelination and a recovery of sensorimotor function.
Cells in the central nervous system rely almost exclusively on aerobic metabolism. Oxygen deprivation, such as injury-associated ischemia, results in detrimental apoptotic and necrotic cell loss. There is evidence that repetitive hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) improves outcomes in traumatic brain-injured patients. However, there are no experimental studies investigating the mechanism of repetitive long-term HBOT treatment-associated protective effects. We have therefore analysed the effect of long-term repetitive HBOT treatment on brain trauma-associated cerebral modulations using the lateral fluid percussion model for rats. Trauma-associated neurological impairment regressed significantly in the group of HBO-treated animals within three weeks post trauma. Evaluation of somatosensory-evoked potentials indicated a possible remyelination of neurons in the injured hemisphere following HBOT. This presumption was confirmed by a pronounced increase in myelin basic protein isoforms, PLP expression as well as an increase in myelin following three weeks of repetitive HBO treatment. Our results indicate that protective long-term HBOT effects following brain injury is mediated by a pronounced remyelination in the ipsilateral injured cortex as substantiated by the associated recovery of sensorimotor function.
Research Unit for Experimental Neurotraumatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Klaus
K
Kraitsy
Research Unit for Experimental Neurotraumatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Muammer
M
Uecal
Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Stefan
S
Grossauer
Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Lukas
L
Bruckmann
Research Unit for Experimental Neurotraumatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Florentina
F
Pfleger
Clinical Division of General Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Stefan
S
Ropele
Clinical Division of General Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Franz
F
Fazekas
Research Unit for Experimental Neurotraumatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Gerda
G
Gruenbacher
Research Unit for Experimental Neurotraumatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Silke
S
Patz
Core Facility Microscopy, Centre for Medical Research, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Markus
M
Absenger
Division of Thoracic and Hyperbaric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Christian
C
Porubsky
Division of Thoracic and Hyperbaric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Freyja
F
Smolle-Juettner
Division of Thoracic and Hyperbaric Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Irem
I
Tezer
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Marek
M
Molcanyi
Research Unit for Experimental Neurotraumatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Ulrike
U
Fasching
Research Unit for Experimental Neurotraumatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Ute
U
Schaefer
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D008297:Male; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013997:Time Factors