As per the findings of a randomized, prospective, double-blind, sham-control trial,  hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) use was associated with improvement in neurocognitive functions and symptoms of the post-COVID condition. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of HBOT on post-COVID-19 people with ongoing symptoms for at least three months following confirmed infection.

A total of 73 volunteers were randomly allocated to get daily 40 sessions of  sham (n = 36) or HBOT (n = 37). The follow-up assessments were performed at baseline and 1-3 weeks following the last therapy session. HBOT use was associated with considerable group-by-time interaction in global cognitive functions, executive functions, and attention functions. Remarkable improvements were also noted in the pain interference (effect size d = 0.737), energy domain (d = 0.522), psychiatric symptoms like depression, anxiety and somatization (d = 0.636), and sleep (d = - 0.48).

The clinical outcomes were related to remarkable improvements in brain magnetic resonance imaging perfusion and microstructural alterations in the supramarginal gyrus, superior corona radiate, right middle frontal gyrus, left frontal precentral gyrus, right insula, and left supplementary motor area.

HBOT can trigger neuroplasticity and enhance cognitive, psychiatric, fatigue, sleep and pain symptoms of people diagnosed with post-COVID-19 condition. The favorable effects of HBOT can be attributed to raised brain perfusion and neuroplasticity in regions related to emotional and cognitive roles.