Effects of hyperbaric oxygen on behavioral and physiological measures in elderly demented patients

This study tested the effects of repeated exposures to hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on psychological, electroencephalographic, and cerebral blood flow measures in 8 patients with cerebrovascular disease and 13 patients with cortical atrophy. Patients were exposed to 100% oxygen at 2.5 atmospheres absolute twice daily for 90 min. for 15 days. No significant changes were observed in any of the measures in either group. Level of initial functioning was not associated with change due to treatment. Results suggest that HBO has no therapeutic effect in patients with moderate to severe dementia.