Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders

Authors

  • Karolina Jankowska Studenckie Koło Naukowe przy Zakładzie Farmakologii Katedry Farmakologii Śląskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Katowicach
  • Nikodem Świderski Studenckie Koło Naukowe przy Zakładzie Farmakologii Katedry Farmakologii Śląskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Katowicach
  • Weronika Wójtowicz Studenckie Koło Naukowe przy Zakładzie Farmakologii Katedry Farmakologii Śląskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Katowicach
  • Magdalena Iwan Studenckie Koło Naukowe przy Zakładzie Farmakologii Katedry Farmakologii Śląskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Katowicach
  • Anna Bielecka-Wajdman Zakład Farmakologii Katedry Farmakologii Śląskiego Uniwersytetu Medycznego w Katowicach

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18388/pb.2021_627

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders whose etiology involves complex interactions of environmental, genetic, and neurobiological factors. The developing knowledge regarding the genesis of this disorder, along with the increasing number of diagnosed cases, creates a need to search for more effective treatment methods. One potential complementary therapy is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Its potential mechanism of action in ASD is primarily associated with its anti-inflammatory effects, modulation of neuroplasticity, and a potential impact on oxidative stress levels. Current research shows that HBOT may improve certain behavioral and cognitive factors in individuals with ASD, such as speech, communication, and psychosocial functioning. However, these results are often inconsistent due to potential adverse effects of HBOT, such as barotrauma and oxygen toxicity.

This article highlights the significance of HBOT in ASD based on available literature from experimental studies conducted between 2012 and 2025.

streszczenie graficzne

Downloads

Published

2025-11-13

Issue

Vol. 71 No. 4 (2025)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Karolina Jankowska, Nikodem Świderski , Weronika Wójtowicz, Magdalena Iwan, Anna Bielecka-Wajdman

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

All journal contents are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license. Everybody may use the content following terms: Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made, ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. There are no additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.

Copyright for all published papers © stays with the authors.

Copyright for the journal: © Polish Biochemical Society.