Characteristics of brain glymphatic system changes in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment based on perivascular spaces and DTI-ALPS index assessment
10.12025/j.issn.1008-6358.2026.20251374
- VernacularTitle:基于血管周围间隙与DTI-ALPS指数评估遗忘型轻度认知障碍患者脑类淋巴系统变化特征
- Author:
Xiaoqin CHENG
1
;
Guoqiang FEI
2
;
Shen ZHAO
3
;
Rui HUA
3
;
Feng SHI
3
;
Xiaoli PAN
1
;
Ziyi HE
4
;
Sirui LIU
4
Author Information
1. Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
2. Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China;Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University, Xiamen 361015, Fujian, China.
3. Department of Research and Development, United Imaging Intelligence, Shanghai 200232, China.
4. Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
- Publication Type:Shortarticle
- Keywords:
amnestic mild cognitive impairment;
brain glymphatic system;
magnetic resonance imaging;
diffusion tensor imaging analysis along perivascular space;
perivascular space
- From:
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine
2026;33(3):479-485
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To explore the characteristics and correlation between perivascular spaces (PVS) and diffusion tensor image analysis along perivascular spaces (DTI-ALPS) index in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Methods A retrospective study was conducted on a total of 118 participants, including cognitive normal (CN) healthy controls and aMCI patients, recruited from the Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from September 2020 to September 2022. All participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). An automatic segmentation algorithm was used to quantify PVS metrics in the brain, and DTI-ALPS index was calculated based on DTI. Differences in DTI-ALPS index and PVS metrics between the CN and aMCI groups were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent factors influencing aMCI. Correlation analysis was performed to assess relationships among DTI-ALPS index, PVS metrics, and cognitive scores. Results A total of 80 CN healthy controls and 38 aMCI patients were included. The DTI-ALPS index was significantly lower in the aMCI group compared with the CN group (1.28±0.18 vs 1.37±0.21, P＝0.018), while differences in PVS metrics between groups were not statistically significant. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that DTI-ALPS index was an independent factor affecting aMCI (OR＝0.097, 95%CI 0.011–0.833, P＝0.033). Correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between DTI-ALPS index and MMSE score (r＝0.210, P＝0.023) as well as PVS length in the centrum semiovale (r＝0.216, P＝0.019). Conclusions The DTI-ALPS index may serve as an imaging biomarker for identifying early cognitive impairment, and patients with aMCI exhibit abnormal DTI-ALPS indices, suggesting that brain glymphatic system dysfunction may occur prior to morphological changes.
