Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Adult Onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the long term effect of severely distressing traumatic event characterized by intrusive thoughts, nightmares, and avoidance. Brain imaging of PTSD patients demonstrate alterations in regional brain perfusion, with stunned, hypoperfused regions. Those brain-biological pathologies may be responsible for the limited success rate of currently available interventions. During the last years data regarding Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) induced neuroplasticity accumulated. A number of studies in traumatic brain injury, cerebrovascular attacks, and fibromyalgia have presented evidence of improved perfusion and recovery of metabolic brain tissues, accompanied by clinical improvement under HBOT even years after the acute insults. Considerable evidence supports potential benefit of HBOT on PTSD, however, no clinical trial was done on this pure PTSD population. The aim of the proposed study is to examine hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a treatment for PTSD. Advanced brain imaging and functional analysis tools will be used to evaluate treatment's effect.