Pursuing a reliable and non-invasive examination of the glymphatic system with MRI

The glymphatic system can be described as the brain's "washing machine," a flow-based system that clears the brain parenchyma of toxic metabolites. Impaired glymphatic function is associated with various diseases, including Parkinson's disease. In recent years, intensive research has been conducted to non-invasively map glymphatic function in vivo using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). One such method is "Diffusion Tensor Imaging Along the Perivascular Space" (DTI-ALPS), a widely accessible and user-friendly technique that has become popular in neuroscience over the past two years. However, this method has not yet been validated, and there are several potential pitfalls that could lead to misleading results. The aims of this project are: a) To validate the DTI-ALPS method by exploring potential pitfalls and opportunities for improvement, and b) to develop new methods for assessing fluid clearance in the brain.