In 2023, Wang et al. published in Frontiers in Neuroscience a study examining the impact of normobaric high-concentration oxygen therapy on cognitive function, particularly working memory. In a context where cognitive optimization is becoming an increasing concern for professionals under chronic pressure, this data deserves a careful reading.
The context: why oxygen acts on the brain
The brain represents about 2% of body mass but consumes 20% of total oxygen. Any variation in oxygen availability, even moderate, has measurable effects on cognitive performance, particularly on executive function and working memory. This is the basic mechanism that underpins the relevance of oxygen therapy in the context of cognitive fatigue, post-exertional recovery or chronic overload.
Increased oxygen partial pressure improves oxygenation of cerebral tissues, stimulates mitochondrial ATP production in neurons, reduces local inflammatory markers and promotes neuroplasticity. These effects have been documented in the literature on hyperbaric oxygen therapy since the 1990s.
What the Wang 2023 study measures
The study examines subjects exposed to high-concentration normobaric oxygen sessions (40–60% O₂). Cognitive function was assessed using standardized tests of working memory (N-back), sustained attention and reaction time, before and after a series of sessions.
The most concerned population
The most pronounced results in the literature on oxygen therapy and cognition systematically concern the same profiles:
- People in a state of chronic cognitive fatigue: prolonged work overload, accumulated sleep debt, mild altitude-related hypoxia (particularly relevant in alpine settings).
- Post-intense effort: high-level athletes use oxygen therapy in immediate recovery to accelerate the return to cognitive and physical baseline.
- Subjects over 40: mitochondrial capacity declines with age, making nerve cells more sensitive to variations in oxygen availability.
Important limitations
The Wang 2023 results concern normobaric oxygen therapy (normal atmospheric pressure), not hyperbaric oxygen therapy (under pressure). The two protocols have partly different mechanisms. Hyperbaric studies are generally better documented but require specialized medical equipment.
Furthermore, the study does not measure how long the effects persist. The literature suggests that cognitive benefits are real but transient in the absence of a repeated protocol. This is why structured programs over several weeks are preferred to isolated sessions.
Our oxygen therapy sessions are integrated into recovery or cognitive optimization protocols over 4 to 8 weeks. They can be combined with photobiomodulation or neurofeedback depending on each client's profile and goals.