Physical enhancement of older adults using hyperbaric oxygen: a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Aging is associated with a progressive decline in the capacity for physical activity. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effect of an intermittent hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) protocol on maximal physical performance and cardiac perfusion in sedentary older adults. METHODS: A randomized controlled clinical trial randomized 63 adults (> 64yrs) either to HBOT (n = 30) or control arms (n = 33) for three months. Primary endpoint included the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2Max) and VO2Max/Kg, on an E100 cycle ergometer. Secondary endpoints included cardiac perfusion, evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and pulmonary function. The HBOT protocol comprised of 60 sessions administered on a daily basis, for 12 consecutive weeks, breathing 100% oxygen at 2 absolute atmospheres (ATA) for 90 min with 5-minute air breaks every 20 min. RESULTS: Following HBOT, improvements were observed in VO2Max/kg, with a significant increase of 1.91 ± 3.29 ml/kg/min indicated by a net effect size of 0.455 (p = 0.0034). Additionally, oxygen consumption measured at the first ventilatory threshold (VO2VT1) showed a significant increase by 160.03 ± 155.35 ml/min (p < 0.001) with a net effect size of 0.617. Furthermore, both cardiac blood flow (MBF) and cardiac blood volume (MBV) exhibited significant increases when compared to the control group. The net effect size for MBF was large at 0.797 (p = 0.008), while the net effect size for MBV was even larger at 0.896 (p = 0.009). CONCLUSION: The findings of the study indicate that HBOT has the potential to improve physical performance in aging adults. The enhancements observed encompass improvements in key factors including VO2Max, and VO2VT1. An important mechanism contributing to these improvements is the heightened cardiac perfusion induced by HBOT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02790541 (registration date 06/06/2016).

Magnetic resonance imaging characterization of different experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis models and the therapeutic effect of glatiramer acetate.

The roles of inflammation and degeneration as well as of gray matter abnormalities in multiple sclerosis (MS) and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) are controversial. We analyzed the pathological manifestations in two EAE models, the chronic oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced versus the relapsing-remitting proteolipid protein (PLP)-induced, along the disease progression, using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters. The emphasis of this study was the overall assessment of the whole brain by histogram analysis, as well as the detection of specific affected regions by voxel based analysis (VBA) using quantitative T2, magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Brains of EAE-inflicted mice from both models revealed multiple white and gray matter areas with significant changes from naïve mice for all MRI parameters. Ventricle swelling was more characteristic to the PLP-induced model. Decreased MTR values and increased apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were observed mainly in MOG-induced EAE, indicative of macromolecular loss and structural CNS damage involvement in the chronic disease. The MS drug glatiramer acetate (GA), applied either as prevention or therapeutic treatment, affected all the MRI pathological manifestations, resulting in reduced T2 values and ventricle volume, elevated MTR and decreased ADC, in comparison to untreated EAE-inflicted mice. In accord, immunohistochemical analysis indicated less histological damage and higher amount of proliferating oligodendrocyte progenitor cells after GA treatment. The higher brain tissue integrity reflected by the MRI parameters on the level of the whole brain and in specific regions supports the in situ anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective consequences of GA treatment.