2010;12(25):12C15. week and 2 weeks after treatment was increased compared with the sham surgery group ( 0.05). This demonstrates that cognitive functions were significantly decreased after brain injury in rats. At 1 and 2 weeks, the HBOT group experienced better cognitive function than the TBI group ( 0.05; Table 1). Table 1 Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on the average escape latency (s) of traumatic brain injury (TBI) rats in the Morris water maze Open in a separate window Effect of HBOT on brain metabolism in the hippocampal CA3 region of TBI rats 1H-MRS analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the N-acetylaspartate/choline and N-acetylaspartate/creatine ratios in the contralateral hippocampal CA3 region of rats in the TBI and HBOT groups, when compared with the sham surgery group at each time point (Table 2). Table 2 Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on N-acetylaspartate/choline (NAA/Ch) and N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr) ratios in the hippocampal CA3 region of traumatic brain injury (TBI) rats at different time points Open in a separate window Compared with the sham surgery group, the N-acetylaspartate/creatine ratio in the ipsilateral hippocampal CA3 region was significantly decreased in the TBI group ( 0.05). After 48 hours of treatment, the decreased ratio was more apparent in the TBI and HBOT groups ( 0.05). After 1 and 2 weeks of treatment, the N-acetylaspartate/creatine ratio in the HBOT group was significantly increased compared with the TBI group ( 0.05; Table 2, Physique 1). Open in a separate window Physique 1 Magnetic resonance spectroscopy images of the rat hippocampal CA3 at the injury side after hyperbaric oxygen therapy for 2 weeks. (A) In the sham-surgery group, the NAA peak value was significantly higher than Cr and Ch values. (B) CP-640186 In the traumatic brain injury group, the NAA value was significantly decreased, while the Cr and Ch values were elevated. (C) In the hyperbaric oxygen therapy group, the NAA value was higher than that in the traumatic brain injury group. Both the NAA/Ch and NAA/Cr ratios were increased. NAA: N-acetylaspartate; Cr: creatine; Ch: choline. At 8 hours, 48 hours, 1 week, and 2 weeks after treatment, the N-acetylaspartate/choline ratio in the ipsilateral hippocampal CA3 region was significantly decreased in the TBI group compared with the sham surgery group ( 0.05). At 2 weeks after treatment, the HBOT group experienced significantly higher N-acetylaspartate/choline ratios than CP-640186 the TBI group ( 0.05; Table 2, Physique 1). Effect of HBOT on histological switch KIF4A antibody of the hippocampal CA3 region in TBI rats Nissl staining showed that this hippocampal CA3 neurons were tightly and neatly arranged, demonstrating intact morphology and multilateral shape in the sham-operated rats. The nucleolus was distributed in the center and blue plaques or granular Nissl body were visible in the cytoplasm. In the TBI group, the hippocampal CA3 neurons were sparse and disorderly arranged; cell spacing was widened, a large number of necrotic and pyknotic neurons proven atrophy, and Nissl bodies had been had or decreased disappeared. In the HBOT group, the amount of nerve cells in the hippocampal CA3 area was significantly improved at 14 days after treatment. The neurons had been firmly distributed and Nissl physiques were increased weighed against the TBI group (Shape 2). Open up in another window Shape 2 Histological adjustments in the hippocampal CA3 area on the wounded side of distressing mind damage rats after hyperbaric air therapy for 14 days (Nissl CP-640186 staining, optical microscopy, size pubs: A, 25; BCD, 200). White colored arrows reveal Nissl-positive cells, dark arrows reveal Nissl physiques. The dark squares in B, D and C.