Objective: We examined the activity of the glymphatic system in patients with Parkinson’s disease using diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS).

Background: The glymphatic system may be impaired in Parkinson’s disease, leading to disturbed clearance of toxic metabolites.

Method: Twenty consecutive subjects with Parkinson’s disease were evaluated with 3 Tesla diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging, and clinical diagnosis was solidified during follow-up. For diffusion tensor imaging, we calculated diffusivities in the x, y, and z axes on the plane of the lateral ventricle along the projection fibers and association fibers, to perform DTI-ALPS. The diffusivity index on DTI-ALPS was compared with the unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale score.

Results: We observed a significant negative correlation between the diffusivity index on DTI-ALPS and the unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale score, which suggests the lower the water diffusion along the perivascular space, the more severe the degree of parkinsonism.

Conclusion: The activity of the glymphatic system on DTI-ALPS showed a relation between water diffusion and parkinsonism. Further studies are needed to establish glymphatic imaging methodology for Parkinson’s disease and parkinson-plus syndromes.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/glymphatic-system-activity-in-parkinsons-disease-diffusion-tensor-image-analysis-along-the-perivascular-space-dti%e2%80%91alps/