The Recoverable Brain
By:
Dr. Carol Henricks
On
08/05/2025Summary:
Dr. Richard Neubauer coined the term “the recoverable brain” in 1996 when he was treating stroke patients in a hyperbaric chamber. He was referring to the ischemic penumbra, the injured area around the core stroke area that could recover and be made healthy again by improving cellular health with the extra oxygen provided by hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT).
Recoverable brain goes far beyond stroke margins. Our brain health at any moment in time is a consequence of all the types of injuries to our brain throughout our life: metabolic, nutritional, toxic, infectious, traumatic (including unrealized concussions and other physical trauma), ischemic and inflammatory. Our bodies, our brains are designed to heal themselves, and with extra oxygen driving the healing responses dramatic recovery is possible. The research demonstrated effects of HBOT include:
cellular health
mitochondrial function
modifies gene expression at a DNA level, >8300 genes studied
releases stem cells from bone marrow
supports the fight against infection
drives detoxification
causes new blood vessels to grow into injured tissue
causes telomere lengthening (the hallmark of anti – aging)
It used to be an assumption that our brains would fail as we aged. As medicine has uncovered the insults that compromise brain function we are able to identify many treatable causes of neurodegenerative syndromes. Many approaches improve brain health, a comprehensive approach including extra oxygen by way of HBOT is core. HBOT has the potential to change neurological recovery forever.