Could pressurized oxygen help veterans heal their brains?
NCT ID NCT07214415
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study is testing whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can improve thinking, mood, and quality of life in veterans who have traumatic brain injury, PTSD, anxiety, or depression. Fifty-four veterans will receive multiple HBOT sessions in a pressurized chamber while breathing pure oxygen. Researchers will measure changes in memory, attention, PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, and overall well-being before and after treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new way to ease PTSD, depression, and cognitive problems in veterans with traumatic brain injury.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small Phase 2 trial with only 54 participants, so results may not apply to all veterans. The therapy is time-intensive and may not produce lasting benefits.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 54 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Oct 2025
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 75 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. At least 18 years of age. 2. Veteran status 3. Clinically diagnosed with a mTBI, PTSD, Anxiety, or Depression disorder by meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, and by a qualified and trained professional. 4. The subject is willing and able to read, understand, and sign an informed consent. Additionally, the subject has clear consciousness and the ability to express self-feelings independently. 5. Exposed to at least one trauma-focused therapy or evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment, such as prolonged exposure therapy, EMDR, or CBT, to name a few. 6. Completed cognitive and psychological measurements. 7. Clinical diagnoses cause significant impairment in social or occupational functioning or some other functional capacity. 8. Sexually active female participants of childbearing potential and sexually active male participants with female partners of childbearing potential must agree to use an acceptable method of contraception for the duration of the study and for 30 days following the final HBOT session. 9. Stability on any current psychoactive medications (antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, antipsychotics, stimulants, and mood stabilizers). Exclusion Criteria: 1. Untreated pneumothorax 2. History of spontaneous pneumothorax 3. Severe sinus infection 4. Upper respiratory infection 5. Asymptomatic pulmonary lesions on chest x-ray 6. Uncontrollable high fever (greater than 39C) 7. History of chest or ear surgery 8. Congenital spherocytosis 9. Any anemia or blood disorder 10. Any convulsive disorder 11. History of optic neuritis or sudden blindness 12. Middle ear infection 13. Diabetes mellitus (insulin therapy) 14. The subject is pregnant or lactating 15. Nicotine use/substance use/addiction 16. Acute Hypoglycemia 17. Diagnosed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Emphysema 18. Presenting with symptoms of cough, congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, or open wounds. 19. Active malignancy 20. Current manic, delusional, or psychotic episodes 21. Serious/current suicidal ideations 22. Severe or unstable physical disorders or major cognitive deficits 23. Inability to attend scheduled clinic visits or comply with study protocols. 24. Treated with HBOT for any reason prior to study enrollment. 25. Non-English speakers 26. History of retinal repair, including laser photocoagulation or retinal detachment surgery. 27. History of middle ear surgery, including tympanoplasty, mastoidectomy, or pressure equalization tube placement. 28. Age greater than 75 years. 29. Use of any of the following medications during the study period: Anti-metabolites (e.g., methotrexate, azathioprine); Chemotherapuetic agents (e.g., cyclophosphamide, cisplatin); Mafenide acetate e.g., Sulfamylon); Disulfiram (e.g, Antabuse); Peripheral vasodilators known to interact with oxygen exposure (e.g., nitroglycerin); and Antibacterial drugs with known HBOT interaction risks.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Summit Hyperbarics and Wellness
RECRUITINGBoise, Idaho, 83716, United States
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