Hyperbaric oxygen treatment attenuates naloxone-precipitated opioid withdrawal behaviors and alters microglial activity in male and female mice
Abstract Opioid use disorder poses a complex challenge marked by high relapse rates, which stem from an intricate interplay between physical dependence and psychological vulnerabilities. Previous research has demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT), exposure to 100% oxygen under elevate...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07937-z |
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| author | Meg T. Southard Giuseppe Giannotti Amit Thakar Trinity R. Willsey Lydia G. Bailey Frank Salazar Shane Hentges Raymond M. Quock Travis E. Brown |
| author_facet | Meg T. Southard Giuseppe Giannotti Amit Thakar Trinity R. Willsey Lydia G. Bailey Frank Salazar Shane Hentges Raymond M. Quock Travis E. Brown |
| author_sort | Meg T. Southard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Opioid use disorder poses a complex challenge marked by high relapse rates, which stem from an intricate interplay between physical dependence and psychological vulnerabilities. Previous research has demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT), exposure to 100% oxygen under elevated pressure, reduced physical withdrawal symptoms in morphine-dependent male mice. However, remaining unknown are the effects of HBOT in female mice, its impact on the rewarding and aversive behaviors associated with morphine exposure, and the underlying mechanisms that may be driving these effects. We confirmed the beneficial effects of HBOT in reducing physical withdrawal signs in male mice and, for the first time, demonstrated that HBOT also alleviates these symptoms in female mice. HBOT had no significant effect on morphine-conditioned place preference or conditioned place aversion, suggesting that our HBOT regimen does not influence motivated behaviors. Finally, we show that HBOT treatment reduces microglial soma volume in morphine-treated male and female mice in the paraventricular thalamus, suggesting a shift towards a “resting” state after HBOT. These findings collectively suggest that HBOT may offer a promising, non-pharmacological approach to mitigating opioid withdrawal symptoms across sexes, potentially through modulation of microglia. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-601c273ed38149f39ccc5dc084a84d56 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-601c273ed38149f39ccc5dc084a84d562025-08-20T04:01:24ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-07937-zHyperbaric oxygen treatment attenuates naloxone-precipitated opioid withdrawal behaviors and alters microglial activity in male and female miceMeg T. Southard0Giuseppe Giannotti1Amit Thakar2Trinity R. Willsey3Lydia G. Bailey4Frank Salazar5Shane Hentges6Raymond M. Quock7Travis E. Brown8Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State UniversityAbstract Opioid use disorder poses a complex challenge marked by high relapse rates, which stem from an intricate interplay between physical dependence and psychological vulnerabilities. Previous research has demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT), exposure to 100% oxygen under elevated pressure, reduced physical withdrawal symptoms in morphine-dependent male mice. However, remaining unknown are the effects of HBOT in female mice, its impact on the rewarding and aversive behaviors associated with morphine exposure, and the underlying mechanisms that may be driving these effects. We confirmed the beneficial effects of HBOT in reducing physical withdrawal signs in male mice and, for the first time, demonstrated that HBOT also alleviates these symptoms in female mice. HBOT had no significant effect on morphine-conditioned place preference or conditioned place aversion, suggesting that our HBOT regimen does not influence motivated behaviors. Finally, we show that HBOT treatment reduces microglial soma volume in morphine-treated male and female mice in the paraventricular thalamus, suggesting a shift towards a “resting” state after HBOT. These findings collectively suggest that HBOT may offer a promising, non-pharmacological approach to mitigating opioid withdrawal symptoms across sexes, potentially through modulation of microglia.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07937-z |
| spellingShingle | Meg T. Southard Giuseppe Giannotti Amit Thakar Trinity R. Willsey Lydia G. Bailey Frank Salazar Shane Hentges Raymond M. Quock Travis E. Brown Hyperbaric oxygen treatment attenuates naloxone-precipitated opioid withdrawal behaviors and alters microglial activity in male and female mice Scientific Reports |
| title | Hyperbaric oxygen treatment attenuates naloxone-precipitated opioid withdrawal behaviors and alters microglial activity in male and female mice |
| title_full | Hyperbaric oxygen treatment attenuates naloxone-precipitated opioid withdrawal behaviors and alters microglial activity in male and female mice |
| title_fullStr | Hyperbaric oxygen treatment attenuates naloxone-precipitated opioid withdrawal behaviors and alters microglial activity in male and female mice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hyperbaric oxygen treatment attenuates naloxone-precipitated opioid withdrawal behaviors and alters microglial activity in male and female mice |
| title_short | Hyperbaric oxygen treatment attenuates naloxone-precipitated opioid withdrawal behaviors and alters microglial activity in male and female mice |
| title_sort | hyperbaric oxygen treatment attenuates naloxone precipitated opioid withdrawal behaviors and alters microglial activity in male and female mice |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07937-z |
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