Unveiling the link between glymphatic function and cortical microstructures in post-traumatic stress disorder
Zhiding Shao1, Xue Gao1, Si Cen1
1Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|August 23, 2024
Summary
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures glymphatic function and cortical mean diffusivity (cMD) in veterans with PTSD. Impaired glymphatic function correlates with neurodegeneration, suggesting DTI-ALPS as a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease risk.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neuroscience
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- The glymphatic system facilitates brain fluid exchange, impacting protein balance and neurodegenerative disease risk.
- Early detection of neurodegeneration using noninvasive biomarkers is crucial for Alzheimer's disease (AD) prevention and treatment.
- Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) offers a potential method to measure cortical mean diffusivity (cMD) as a sensitive indicator of neurodegeneration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between glymphatic function, measured by DTI-ALPS, and cortical mean diffusivity (cMD) in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- To explore DTI-ALPS as a potential noninvasive biomarker for assessing glymphatic impairment and neurodegeneration in AD-sensitive regions.
- To examine the association of glymphatic function with cortical thickness, amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition, and genetic risk factors (APOE ε4).
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 67 male veterans diagnosed with PTSD from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database.
- Utilized structural MRI, DTI, Aβ PET imaging, and cognitive testing.
- Focused on the DTI-ALPS technique to quantify glymphatic function and its correlation with cMD, cortical thickness, and Aβ load, controlling for age and APOE ε4 status.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse correlation was observed between DTI-ALPS and cMD in brain regions vulnerable to AD, including the entorhinal, parahippocampal, and fusiform areas.
- Higher DTI-ALPS values were associated with increased cortical thickness, irrespective of Aβ burden and genetic risk.
- Age and cMD were identified as inverse predictors of DTI-ALPS, suggesting a complex interplay with aging.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates a significant link between glymphatic system efficiency (DTI-ALPS) and cMD in AD-vulnerable regions within a PTSD cohort.
- Cortical microstructural alterations in PTSD are highlighted, with DTI-ALPS showing promise as a biomarker for glymphatic function.
- Impairments in glymphatic function, indicated by changes in DTI-ALPS, may be associated with neurodegenerative processes relevant to Alzheimer's disease.
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