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World J Psychiatry. Mar 19, 2026; 16(3): 113572
Published online Mar 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i3.113572
Published online Mar 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i3.113572
Efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of depression
Marya Ahsan, Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 13317, Saudi Arabia
Saif Ahmed, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 13317, Saudi Arabia
Riyaz Ahamed Shaik, Family and Community Medicine, Majmaah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
Mohammed Shakil Ahmad, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Majmah University, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
Khulud Mahmood Nurani, School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, PO Box 30197-00100, Kenya
Prashanth A, Department of Physiology, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Maharashtra 442102, India
Author contributions: Ahsan M, Ahmed S, Shaik RA, Ahmad MS, and AP designed the study; Shaik RA and Ahmad MS collected and analyzed data; Ahsan M, Ahmed S and Nurani KM drafted the manuscript; AP provided critical revisions; Nurani KM reviewed the manuscript; all authors reviewed and approved the final version.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors declare no conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Corresponding author: Khulud Mahmood Nurani, MD, School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, Mbagathi Road, PO Box 30197-00100, Kenya. khuludnurani@gmail.com
Received: August 29, 2025
Revised: October 26, 2025
Accepted: December 24, 2025
Published online: March 19, 2026
Processing time: 182 Days and 22 Hours
Revised: October 26, 2025
Accepted: December 24, 2025
Published online: March 19, 2026
Processing time: 182 Days and 22 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This systematic review synthesizes evidence from six randomized controlled trials evaluating hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as an adjunct or stand-alone treatment for depression, including treatment-resistant and comorbid presentations. Across diverse populations, HBOT consistently reduced depressive symptom scores, improved cognition, functional independence, sleep quality, and cerebral perfusion, and in some studies accelerated response when combined with antidepressants. These findings position HBOT as a biologically plausible, multimodal neuromodulatory strategy for mood disorders that extends beyond symptom relief to neurocognitive recovery and functional restoration.