Nitrous oxide promotes exploratory activity and stimulates neurogenesis in a male rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Neuroscience January 26, 2026 Batoul Darwish, Jad El Masri, Lina Hourieh et al.
Exposure to nitrous oxide gas reduced anxiety-related symptoms and enhanced hippocampal neurogenesis in male rats with PTSD-like behavior induced by the single prolonged stress (SPS) model. SPS-exposed rats showed reduced exploratory performance in the Y-maze test, increased anxiety behavior in the elevated plus maze, and decreased neurogenesis compared to sham controls. Nitrous oxide exposure counteracted these effects, aligning with prior research suggesting it as a promising therapeutic avenue for PTSD and other psychological disorders. The authors propose nitrous oxide as a therapeutic approach for treating cognitive and anxiety-related symptoms of PTSD through its effects on hippocampal neurogenesis, but note that further research is needed to understand potential benefits, risks, and long-term impacts.