Hydrogen Gas Protects Brain Function After Surgery in Rats
Molecular hydrogen inhalation attenuates postoperative cognitive impairment in rats
Research hubs: Brain & Nervous System
This research was done in animals. Results in animals often don't carry over to people.
- Evidence type
- Animal study (rat)
- Authors
- Yuchang Xin, Huiying Liu, Peng Zhang, Liuhui Chang, Ke-Liang Xie
- Journal
- Neuroreport
- Year
- 2017
- PMID
- 28614179
- Study Type
- Rat
- Delivery
- Gas
- Dose
- 2% H2 inhaled for 3 hours beginning 1 hour after surgery
- H₂ concentration
- 2% H2 gas
- Duration
- 1 weeks
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 24 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- China
TL;DR
Inhaling hydrogen gas after surgery helped improve memory and thinking skills in rats by reducing inflammation and cell death in the brain.
Key Finding
Rats that breathed hydrogen gas after surgery showed significantly improved cognitive function and reduced brain inflammation compared to surgery-only controls.
Summary
This study tested whether breathing hydrogen gas could help prevent memory and thinking problems that sometimes occur after surgery. Rats that had surgery showed cognitive decline, but those that breathed 2% hydrogen gas for 3 hours after surgery showed significant improvement in memory and learning tests. The hydrogen treatment also reduced inflammation markers in the brain and blood, and protected the barrier that controls what enters the brain.
Practical Takeaway
This is early animal research suggesting hydrogen gas may help protect the brain after surgery, but it's far from proven in humans. The study was conducted only in rats, so results may not translate directly to people. More research, including human trials, would be needed before hydrogen therapy could be considered for postoperative cognitive decline in surgical patients.
Abstract (excerpt)
Postoperative cognitive decline is a major clinical problem with high morbidity and mortality after surgery. Many studies have found that molecular hydrogen (H2) has significant neuroprotection against acute and chronic neurological injury by regulating inflammation and apoptosis. In this study, we…